Oral-Motor/Feeding Therapy

What is Oral-Motor Therapy?

Some children have difficulty developing clear speech due to weakness of the muscles used for speaking, such as the lips, cheeks, tongue, jaw, or soft palate. They may also have structural malformations within the mouth, such as poor jaw or dental alignment, cleft lip or palate, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, etc. In addition, some children also exhibit poor oral sensory-motor awareness and coordination. Often children with oral-motor problems exhibit difficulty with saliva control and feeding skills. These types of problems require a specific form of treatment directed at improving oral awareness, muscle strength, range of motion, and coordination. Medical referrals are necessary for children with structural malformations that may be interfering with the development of speech and feeding skills. Often the Speech-Language Pathologist accompanies the child and their parents to medical appointments to help coordinate the child's care if surgical procedures or prosthetic devices are necessary to correct the problem.

Example of what Oral-Motor Therapy may look like:

Oral-Motor Therapy at Special Therapies, Inc. is designed to be both fun and challenging for the child. We use mirrors for visual feedback so that the child can better imitate what the Speech-Language Pathologist is demonstrating. Many children can not produce oral movements on request (i.e. "stick out your tongue") or imitate oral movements to demonstration. They may need to watch the Speech-Language Pathologist side by side in front of a mirror so that they can match what is being demonstrated. Often a sucker presented in front of the lips can help encourage the tongue to move out of the mouth for a lick. This process is practiced until the child can do it on his/her own on request.

Why is Oral-Motor Therapy important?

Oral-Motor Therapy helps the child to gain better awareness of, and control over the muscles in their mouth. Many different types of fun and interesting techniques are used to address the individual child's needs. The ultimate goal is the facilitate clear speech production and safe feeding ability, as well as decrease drooling and stress on the teeth which may result in significant orthodontic problems down the road.

Is this something I could be doing at home?

Your child's Speech-Language Pathologist will teach you how to incorporate appropriate Oral-Motor Therapy into your child's daily routine. Specific exercises, activities, or food choices may be recommended. Caregiver and family involvement is key to our successful treatment outcomes.