Re: THERAPY:resistance to oral motor therapy

[Guest guest]

My son is about the same age with words showing up but probable less

than 8 are clear. HE has the same problem and its because he

has sensory issues in his mouth. Were trying to work it out as well

but massages seem to help him tolerate oral work better.

Steph--

- In , " Roxanne Flick "

<rflick@s...> wrote:

>

>

> My daughter is 2 years 9 months with apraxia. She only has about 8

> clear words. She cannot make many sounds. Her older sister also

> has/had apraxia. Her speech is much better. Anyway she is

resistant

> to the oral motor therapy the therapist does and the therapist

says

> the other kids do not do this.

[Guest guest]

Dear Roxanne,

I don't really know if this will help or not, but just to let you know, my son

(now 33 months with oral and verbal apraxia) has been and still is somewhat

resistant to oral motor therapy too. You did not mention how long your daughter

has been seeing this SLP, but it took my son months before he would even let her

look into his mouth (he had a cleft palate that was repaired prior to this). He

has been seeing this SLP for 9 months now, 2 x per week and there are times when

he still won't let her touch his mouth, even though the situation has improved

slightly over time. She too did not believe in forcing him. In his case, I think

in part, anyways, it had to deal with trust too.

Best of Luck,

Anita

Roxanne Flick <rflick@...> wrote:

My daughter is 2 years 9 months with apraxia. She only has about 8

clear words. She cannot make many sounds. Her older sister also

has/had apraxia. Her speech is much better. Anyway she is resistant

to the oral motor therapy the therapist does and the therapist says

the other kids do not do this.

[Guest guest]

I find that the more control my 4 yr old son has over the task the

more receptive his is to it. He now allows a spinning toothbrush

which he holds. Also at one point he had a small finger massager he

would rub on his lips and cheeks. I'm told anything to stimulate

the nerves in those areas is helpful. I also find that if I learn

the techniques and then encourage/practice while he is out at the

mall play area, chuckie cheese, park, etc. he will do more for me

while disstracted by these places. It is challenging though.

>

>

> My daughter is 2 years 9 months with apraxia. She only has about 8

> clear words. She cannot make many sounds. Her older sister also

> has/had apraxia. Her speech is much better. Anyway she is

resistant

> to the oral motor therapy the therapist does and the therapist

says

> the other kids do not do this. She turns away when it is time and

> the therapist doesn't believe in forcing her but she will never

> improve without the therapy. We are trying candy and nothing

works.

> she doesn't want us touching her mouth or inside her mouth.

>

> roxanne

> by the way she is still breastfeeding.

[Guest guest]

thanks for the ot ideas. i am doing private therapy and some eci.

she is almost3 and she has been seeing this therapist for about 2

months. previously we had to do oral motor therapy for her when she

was a week old b/c breastfeeding was excrutiating and got better at

about 8 weeks in which i was lazy and quit doing the therapy. I took

her again at about age one and did some private therapy which she

resisted so we quit after about two months.

roxanne

[Guest guest]

Roxanne,

my 3 year son was very much like that and still is to some degree,

however, we've seen great strides in the last 6 months.

A few things that helped us.

Throughout the day, during play or meals, etc, rub your

hand/napkin/cloth/etc near her mouth without startling her but in a way

that she thinks is play, or like washing her face after a meal. Does she

normally let you wipe her face with a cloth to clean it? if so, rub the

cloth in different directions

(up/down/clockwise/counter-closewise/sideways/etc) throughout the day. If

she doesn't tolerate it then start it out fast as if it we're someone

just walking too close and rubbing against her. As she tolerates it

more, then increase the time, frequency, textures and motions.

Evenutally swipe your finger inside her lips or around her gums, again

starting at a tolerable pace and increasing as she allows. My son slowly

desensitised to this and things got much better.

Can you also try gently stroking her face/cheeks/lips/etc while she's

breast feeding? maybe she'll be more relaxed and trusting to you during

this time.

i also squeezed his cheeks and rubbed them, like a grandma does when she

pinches a kids cheeks and says 'you're so cute'. My son didn't think it

was so cute, although he eventually tolerated it.

At night when i put him to bed, i lay with him in the dark and stroke his

back/legs/arms. I then slowy stroke his head and get as close to his

face as he'll allow. the 1st night it was the top of this head. they

next night i got to his forehead. the 3rd night i got down to his eyes,

the 4th night i made it down to his nose...eventually i got to his mouth

which i couldn't believe. i started off just a second or two. then would

increase a few seconds any night i felt he was ready.

If your daughter likes you to kiss or nuzzle with her, or blow

strawberries on her, do it on her cheeks or as close to her mouth as she

can. Things like this will hopefully desensitise her.

My OT also did a lot of chewing work and brush work in his mouth. He

fought it hard at the beginning but realized he wasn't going to get out

of it and eventually settled into it.

good luck

becky

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 19:37:53 -0000 " Roxanne Flick " <rflick@...>

writes:

>

>

>

> My daughter is 2 years 9 months with apraxia. She only has about 8

> clear words. She cannot make many sounds. Her older sister also

> has/had apraxia. Her speech is much better. Anyway she is resistant

>

> to the oral motor therapy the therapist does and the therapist says

> the other kids do not do this. She turns away when it is time and

> the therapist doesn't believe in forcing her but she will never

> improve without the therapy. We are trying candy and nothing works.

>

> she doesn't want us touching her mouth or inside her mouth.

>

> roxanne

> by the way she is still breastfeeding.

>

>

>

>