ARK's Blog

Tongue pops are my faaaavorite oral motor exercise.  They're a fun and easy way to work on tongue placement, oral tone, tongue tip elevation and control, plus tongue and jaw dissociation (skills that are necessary for proper speech, feeding, and oral motor development). . . The ability to orally manage food requires a lot more skill than most people realize.  Try tak …

The tongue is connected to the jaw, so wherever the jaw goes, the tongue follows. Speech sounds are properly articulated when the jaw and tongue are at midline and symmetrical. So if the jaw and tongue slide left or right as you talk, it can cause a lateral lisp and unclear/slushy speech. Having control over your jaw is also important for biting and chewing skills, for holding your jaw in …

What is oral motor therapy? Oral motor therapy works on the oral skills necessary for proper speech and feeding development.  For example, try saying "la la la" right now, paying attention to what your tongue is doing.  In order to produce the /l/ sound, the tongue tip must elevate to the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper front teeth).  It must also be able to function independe …

For some kids, gloves can be scary.  The rubbery feel, the unfamiliar smell and taste, the strange look (where did your hands go?!), and the squishy sound they make - these are all possible triggers for a sensory overload. I have some kids who absolutely won't allow me to go near them with gloves.  So I just have to wash my hands thoroughly before and after therapy.  And that's …