BEth--new diagnosis--oral motor

October 27, 2009

I would suggest joining NAHTHAN which is for special needs children who are home

schooled. This resource offers a lending library full of resources listed

online that I believe are free for members. Membership is $25 a year.

Our local support group for Down syndrome is where I have found a free lending

library that has offered resources such as Talk Tools (oral motor video etc) and

video by Dr. Libby Kumin which shows oral motor work for children w/Down

syndrome which is relevant for apraxia. Look for things under the subject of

oral motor in Nahthan or google or amazon.

I am reading Raising a Sensory Smart Child which addresses many issues my

apraxic child has.

Signing Time is a great signing video series--if you want to go that route in

the beginning to build some kind of communication. My son Nate has had a very

easy time learning signs from these videos, and then put many of the words

together w/the signs. We also got the YOur Baby Can REad series and Nate will

say many of the words back or imitate the children which is good for him.

I am just now learning so much more about what Nate needs, since I am just now

understanding that he has sensory integration issues and the apraxia---plus the

Down syndrome. I am also looking into the prompted language and from what I

understand there are more than one set of " prompts " . There is PROMPT and other

" brands " . I have found having a prompt for a sound really, really helps Nate.

It also helps him to look at a picture of a person doing the prompt and

sound---even a line drawing.

Some very simple oral motor ideas are to use straws for all drinks. Never use

sippy cups--it causes tongue thrusting. Have your child graduate from a wider,

easier straw to thinner straws to build strength in oral motor. We now have

Nate suck yogurt through a straw. This also helps with his sensory integration.

Use whistles, those party horns, anything to encourage the " blowing " . Feathers

on a tray etc. Start easy and work up. The few sessions we had w/the private

speech therapist recently included the use of lollipops. She would put one in

her mouth and Nate would put his in his mouth and she would let go w/her hand

and keep her sucker in her mouth using her lip strength and he would imitate

her. She would use her tongue to move the sucker and thus shift the stick from

side to side. Nate would imitate this as well.

Hope the ideas help.

Colleen

Recommended Posts