{"id":1398,"date":"2023-05-30T06:47:20","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T06:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valuedvoices.com\/?p=1398"},"modified":"2023-09-25T16:36:40","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T16:36:40","slug":"oral-motor-intervention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valuedvoices.com\/oral-motor-intervention\/","title":{"rendered":"Oral Motor Intervention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Unless you have a child who is in speech therapy or who has difficulties with feeding, you may never have heard of oral motor skills before. Although the term is commonly used in the occupational and speech therapy fields, many families are unfamiliar with it. However, it designates a crucial area of development that is often overlooked. In this article, I will take a closer look at oral motor intervention because it can transform your child\u2019s life. Keep in mind that it does not work for everyone and that not every child is a candidate for this intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oral Motor Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oral motor skills refer to the movements of the muscles in the mouth, including the tongue, lips, cheeks and jaw. As with any other muscles, these can be weak or strong, coordinated or uncoordinated, and can have a wide or limited range of motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oral motor skills allow us to chew our food, swallow, drink from a straw, put our lips around a spoon, lick a lollipop, blow out candles on a birthday cake, formulate sounds, talk, and so much more! While we tend not to give much thought to these skills, our oral motor muscles play a key role in our daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the first few years of life, children go through significant structural and neurological growth. In particular, oral motor development undergoes rapid change and growth as children begin to explore their need for food, safety and comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Identifying Oral Motor Difficulties<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some common signs that might indicate either difficulty in coordinating oral motor structures or challenges with a range of motion. Please keep in mind that the list shown here is not a diagnostic tool but rather a guide to help you seek more information when you meet with a licensed specialist for an evaluation. Any one of these signs alone does not justify a need for oral motor intervention. If many of these signs are present, however, you and your specialist can determine if oral motor intervention would be the best fit for your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Signs of oral motor difficulties include:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n