Teaching the Concept of Biting and Chewing
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 22nd Feb 2012
For infants, learning how to bite and chew is a crucial stage of feeding development. At approximately 5-6 months of age, babies begin using their fingers and mouths for oral exploration using a bite and release pattern. The development of biting and chewing continues from this point on, with the baby refining the movements of the jaw, tongue, and lips. When infants miss a part o
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Gum Massage for Oral Stimulation
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 6th Jan 2012
Gum massage is a simple yet effective way to provide oral stimulation to a large surface area within the mouth. This tactile input can:
• help
decrease oral aversions for hypersensitive individuals
• help
increase oral awareness for hyposensitive individuals
• help decrease
drooling, mouth stuffing, and/or the need the chew
• be very cal
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G-Tube Advice
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 29th Dec 2011
Question: I am a mother to a baby who is 6.5 months old, corrected age. He was born at 29 weeks gestational age. Because of being on a high level of O2 support for a long period of time, being intubated several times, and experiencing reflux, he has had an aversion to liquids and was not able to learn how to suck on a bottle effectively. A g-tube was placed before he lef
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How to Teach Straw Drinking
Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 9th Nov 2011
1. To start, cut a regular straw in half. Not only is a shorter straw easier to handle, but it also takes less strength for a child to suck liquid from a shorter straw.
2. Dip the straw into a cup with liquid preferred by the child. Place the tip of your pointer finger over the top of the straw to keep the liquid in the straw. Remove the straw from the cup, keeping the top o
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