ARK's Blog

This wonderful guest post comes to us from Ashley Thurn, MS, OTR/L. As a mom of two kids under the age of five, I know first-hand how mess making during mealtime can really drive a type-A mama like myself to the brink of insanity.   (Over and over again, every day.)  But as a pediatric occupational therapist, who specializes in sensory related feeding issues and picky eating, …

This informative guest blog post is courtesy of Lori Nachtigal-Rothschild, MS, CCC-SLP.   Question: What are the most important skills for chewing harder foods?  Answer: Tongue-jaw disassociation (separation) and jaw pressure (aka jaw strength) are the 2 most important skills for breaking down harder foods like carrots, celery, and harder meats. . Developmental Stage …

Question:  Hello. I’m looking for something to help slow a child’s drinking. She takes huge gulps and does not pace herself. We’re using thickened liquids to slow her down but I’m hoping to find another solution. Do you have anything (and something not disposable)? . . Great question. It sounds like the  Select-Flow Valve might be just the right thing to try …

What do I look for when I’m doing an oral motor / feeding assessment?   It's never a cookie-cutter check list.  It always depends on the individual and their skills and goals and where the evaluation, medical history, family history, etc. lead me.  But, there are some general skills that I look for and “tests" that I do: Is there  tongue lateralization? Is …