Watch any of the good baseball pitchers, and also you’ll usually see them chewing sunflower seeds or a wad of bubblegum of their mouth. Or how about soccer gamers that chew on their mouthguards between performs. These athletes are utilizing oral motor expertise as a part of their success repertoire. have reported the constructive results of chewing gum on cognitive expertise, together with alertness, consideration, processing velocity, and reminiscence.1
Oral motor expertise discuss with the use and performance of the muscle groups of the face, together with the tongue, lips, and jaw. Many youngsters with particular wants want further apply and enter on this space. Oral motor remedy works on the talents obligatory for correct speech and feeding improvement. These expertise embody consciousness, energy, coordination, motion, and endurance of the lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw. As well as, as sports activities athletes know, oral motor instruments are used for self-regulation and a focus.
As gum chewing is prohibited on many campuses, addressing the oral motor wants of scholars through the college day will be difficult. Discovering secure, quiet, and applicable sensory options is vital. Taking oral motor breaks, comparable to blowing bubbles, utilizing cause-and-effect whistles, or utilizing a straw to blow a ping pong ball could also be useful.
Different Secure Chewing Choices
There are additionally secure options for chewing when gum or different meals will not be an choice. If in case you have a pupil that’s chewing their pencil prime all the way down to a nub, or a toddler that’s chewing on their shirt collar, these are indicators that they could profit from oral motor instruments like . These are made from plastic that’s latex-free, phthalate-free, and BPA-free. They embody wearable choices like bracelets and necklaces, in addition to some that may clip onto a collar or slide on a pencil prime.
Some college students could also be heavier chewers than others, so experiment with totally different thicknesses and sensory textures. An answer like might enable you discover that excellent enter for every little one. Take a observe from the professional’s playbook and begin utilizing oral motor instruments as a part of your little one’s sport plan for fulfillment! Go to our web site for extra info and oral motor choices.
- Allen AP, Smith AP. Chewing gum: cognitive efficiency, temper, well-being, and related physiology. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:654806. doi: 10.1155/2015/654806. Epub 2015 Might 17. PMID: 26075253; PMCID: PMC4449949.
Cecilia Cruse
Cecilia Cruse, MS, OTR/L has a BS diploma in Occupational Remedy from the College of Florida, and her Grasp’s diploma in Training from Georgia State College. She is SIPT licensed and has over 25 years’ expertise in pediatrics with school-based companies, acute care, and outpatient pediatric settings.