ARK's Blog

Question:  I have a 12 day old infant with diagnosed Down Syndrome. She has moderate tongue protrusion. A friend suggested your products.  I was wondering which ones you recommend and any suggestions you might have?  Thank you for your help with this! . .  Dear New Mom, although each child is different, there are several goals that I usually work on: . ORAL SENSITIVITIES In my …

We often talk about oral sensitivities and how that can lead to texture aversions, drooling problems, mouth stuffing, and more.  But sensory tactile defensiveness isn't always isolated in the mouth.  Sometimes it's global, in which case you may need to start normalizing sensitivities outside of the mouth first, gradually working towards texture acceptance in the mouth. When one o …

Question: My 2.5 year old daughter has down syndrome. She has had feeding issues since birth and we are trying to work with her on chewing.  She will bite and chew crackers and other hard foods, but will swallow soft things whole. We are working with a speech therapist as well as an occupational therapist, but they do not have a lot of experience with the grabbers, and other bite tool …

1.  Change the individual's toothpaste.  It can be a change in flavor or a change in brand.  A different brand may have a different texture, one that is perhaps a little more gritty.  Also, changing the toothbrush to one that is a little harder or softer will get a different texture inside the mouth. 2.   Massage the gums with a clean finger.  This adds sensory …