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Using Chew Tools in Oral Motor / Feeding Therapy

30th Jul 2017

Most people know the Grabber, Y-Chew, and Guitar as non-food chewing tools that provide a safe alternative to nail biting, chewing on pencils, etc.   But did you know they can also be used to work on lots of different oral motor / feeding therapy goals?  . . Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate the Grabber, Y-Chew, and/or Guitar into your oral motor / fe …
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Oral Motor Staples for Babies Who Have Down Syndrome

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 10th May 2017

Question:  Hello!  About 1 week ago my husband and I got a confirmed diagnosis of Down syndrome for our upcoming baby girl.  I want to help my little flower as much as possible and start as soon as possible!  What tools are recommended for starting at an early age?  We are very excited to help our little girl be the best she can be and we want to start right away if i …
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When Kids Think Feeding Utensils Are Food

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 13th Apr 2017

Question: I work with a child who has Down Syndrome. She is 16 months old. She presents with open mouth posture and tongue thrusting not during feeding. Mom purchased a Z-vibe and I saw your article on using the Z-vibe to promote lip closure. Only problem is....anytime we go near her mouth she thinks the item is food and tries to open her mouth and touch her tongue with it. She does not yet u …
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Oral Motor Straw Workout

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 7th Apr 2017

Below are directions for a Straw / Lip Blok program I've used with many of my kids over the years. I usually do this in conjunction with tongue thrust therapy when their swallowing pattern needs to be changed.  And it also helps work on oral tone and tongue retraction. . . What You'll Need: 1. Krazy Straws. I typically use the ones in the picture below, in sequence f …
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