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How to Decrease Tongue Protrusion & Encourage Retraction

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 17th Oct 2014

Question: I have a 2 year old on my EI caseload, our program purchased a z-vibe kit for him. He is demonstrating some sensory aversion, drooling, and an open mouth posture with tongue protrusion. His tongue protrusion is beginning to affect production of his speech sounds. Are there any specific exercises I can have him do to decrease tongue protrusion?  Thank you so much for you …
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What to Do When Kids Are Afraid of Cups/Straws

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 24th Mar 2014

Question:  I have a 2 and a half year old boy. He stopped eating and drinking just before he turned 2. He has an NG tube through his nose for 6 months so far. He started eating solid foods with great appetite three months ago. Now we use the NG tube for drinking only. Since they put the NG tube, I was able to give him water in a spoon from a glass jar while he was in the high chair. Now he …
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Transitioning from Bottle to Cup/Straw Drinking

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 7th Nov 2012

Question:  I am an OT and a new mom to my 6-month-old daughter. We have just started introducing solid foods, but she drinks from only a bottle. I was wondering if you had any tips for transitioning from bottle to cup.  I have heard mixed reviews regarding sippy cups... .  I am not against using the right sippy cup as an intermediate step to teach cup drinking.  How …
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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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