Types of Oral Structural Problems:
- tongue tie
- missing teeth
- velopharyngeal insufficiency
- tongue too big or too small
What to do if Suspected:
1. Try therapy first for about 6 weeks
- Elicit sound in isolation however the child can do it
- Use compensatory positions if necessary
2. If still cannot produce the sound after 6 weeks, speak with parents about options
- Tell them therapy for that problem is not advised as the child is not able to physically do it
- Provide options (including not addressing the problem) in an unbiased manner
- Speak with your employer first about how to word it
- Offer to speak with other professionals who may be able to help (surgeons/orthodontists)
Eliminating Pacifier Use and Other Oral Habits
Noxious oral habits, such as thumb sucking, pacifier use, sippy cup use, clothing chewing, etc. can be detrimental to making progress in speech therapy. This Guide provides the SLP with important information about sucking habits and craniofacial development to make a better case for parents when encouraging habit elimination. This parental guide is to help SLPs create a case for habit elimination so that the kids can make more progress is speech therapy.
Download the Parent Guide to Why They Should Eliminate Oral Habits
Sippy Cup and Water Bottle Guidelines
This is a guide for SLPs to provide to parents who are wondering about sippy cups and orofacial growth for swallowing and speech.
