Re: Re: Speech Therapy Methods-oral defensiveness

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

I can tell you what our OT does with DS. She started out by applying deep

pressure in small circular motion to the area around his mouth. She starts

near the center above his lip and moves outward. Then she uses some

different brushes (the set of infant/toddler brushes that you can get at

Walmart) and then once he was willing she started massaging inside his mouth

with those. Also a Safety First vibrating teether. I was amazed when in

only 2-3 sessions I told my son that I had to wash his face and he stuck his

face out for me to wash it. My DS's sensitivities are not totally resolved

yet, but he's only had just over a month of OT sessions. I attempt to do

these things too, but the OT comes in with new toys which catch his

attention and she is able to do more with DS. I only wish that I had

realized what a problem this was when he was an infant. I had no clue what

this problem could lead to. Its a shame that pediatricians don't check for

oral defensiveness and advise when infants are young.

Hoping to hear from other parents of children with similar problems.

Becky & Jaylon River (23 months)

[ ] Re: Speech Therapy Methods-oral defensiveness

> How do you overcome oral defensiveness -- Jonah will not let anyone near

his mouth

> with a toothbrush, and he brushes away any hand other than his own that

comes near

> his mouth or cheeks.

>

>

>

>

>

> > One other thing to add about PROMPT is that, when I was suggesting

possibly

> using the method with Josh, we were told that with his severe sensory

defensiveness,

> PROMPT was not going to work since it required touching his face/mouth

area. Once

> the defensiveness lessened, it could be tried. I don't know if anyone

else ran into that

> warning about it but that's just our experience.

> >

> > Sherry

[Guest guest]

My son was an still is orally defensive but PROMPT is working well for

him. It has been a gradual process of building trust with the

therapist step by step. She always asks/tells him before touching him.

He still often squirms almost subconciously but not so much that he

can't be prompted. The first few sessions she could hardly touch him

but over a period of about 10 months now he's accepting more different

prompts. We are also seeing our first progress after 4 years of therapy

using prompt. The therapist is great in talking to him about how she is

teaching his muscles the right things to do and that if he will let her

touch him it will help. Many of the prompts aren't very invasive, much

less so than the warm up type exercises we've done at various other

therapists.

wrote:

> How do you overcome oral defensiveness -- Jonah will not let anyone

> near his mouth

> with a toothbrush, and he brushes away any hand other than his own

> that comes near

> his mouth or cheeks.

>

>

>

>

>

> > One other thing to add about PROMPT is that, when I was suggesting

> possibly

> using the method with Josh, we were told that with his severe sensory

> defensiveness,

> PROMPT was not going to work since it required touching his face/mouth

> area. Once

> the defensiveness lessened, it could be tried. I don't know if anyone

> else ran into that

> warning about it but that's just our experience.

> >

> > Sherry

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Persistance and patience and LOVE from both you and the SLP. My daughter has

the oral defensiveness but it only took a matter of maybe 6 or 8 weeks and

her SLP was on her.

Maybe thaugh, I didnt't think of this, I know not all kids are the same so it

might take a little longer deppending on the tactile/Oral defenses your son

has. Good Luck. LOL Traci