ARK's Blog

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 …

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 …

Question:  I am an SLP seeing a 8 year old student with a tongue thrust.  What products would be the best for addressing the tongue thrust?  How long does it usually take for them to affect a change in a child's lingual placement? . Great question.  For tongue thrust therapy, I use the protocol outlined in the book Swallow Right, 2nd edition by Roberta Pierc …

Whenever a parent asks me what they can do to improve their child’s oral motor skills, one of my first questions is usually:  Are they drinking from straws yet? Drinking from a straw is a very simple yet effective way of improving one’s oral motor skills.  It works on lip seal, tongue retraction, cheek strength, correct jaw position, suck-swallow-breathe coordination, consecutive sw …