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5 Fun, Playful Oral Motor Exercises for Kids(Post)
Evidence tells us that engaging play in therapy yields better outcomes, and oral motor therapy should be no exception! My top priority in therapy is that my patients and I build trust while having pl ...
Oral Defensiveness & Aversions(Post)Oral defensiveness falls into two main categories: HYPOsensitivity and HYPERsensitivity: . • Individuals with hyposensitivities have low oral tone and very little awareness of what's goi ...
The Right and Wrong Way to Spoon Feed(Post)Did you know that there is a right and wrong way to spoon feed? The wrong spoon feeding procedure involves lifting your hand upward as you remove the spoon from the child’s mouth. This ...
Becoming Verbal with Autism(Post)I'm looking for advice. My nephew 5 years old, has Autism and cognitive delays. He doesn't speak at all; he just makes noises like he is "singing" to himself (although not with any spe ...
Tongue Tip Elevation Exercises(Post)Tongue tip elevation is the ability to lift the tip of one's tongue up to the alveolar ridge (the spot just behind the upper front teeth). As a shorthand, we often call this location "on spo ...
Lip Closure & Rounding Exercises(Post)Lip closure (also known as lip seal) is the ability to close one's lips around a spoon, straw, cup, etc. It's also important in order to say certain speech sounds, such as /p/b/m/, and ...
DIY "Talk Back" Auditory Feedback Device(Post)When working on articulation, I often find it best to begin the session with an auditory discrimination activity. Not only does this help children better hear their own speech, but it a ...
Improving a Weak Suck(Post)I am looking for suggestions for our 2-year-old son with epilepsy. He currently functions at a 6 month level. He can eat by mouth (only stage 2 or 3 baby foods), but lacks a suck. He can swallow ...
The Importance of Supporting Children Who Have Eating Problems(Post)Hello, I am the mother of an almost 12 year old daughter. It has been a struggle ever since she moved from baby food to regular foods to get her to eat fruits or vegetables. Thank ...
Embrace the Mess: How Messy Mealtimes Support Normal Feeding Development(Post)This wonderful guest post comes to us from Ashley Thurn, MS, OTR/L. As a mom of two kids under the age of five, I know first-hand how mess making during mealtime can really drive a type-A mama ...
Beefing Up Muscle Memory with the Tran-Quill Vibrating Pencil(Post)This fantastic guest post comes to us from Jenn Choi. . One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is that I have the privilege of trying out new gadgets that help kids in school. We ...
Goodbye Sippy Cups, Hello Straw Cup!(Post)Learning to drink from a straw is a developmental milestone that can support a child's oral motor skills, providing key benefits for feeding, swallowing, and even the muscles that help produce speec ...