Mouth Toys
Baby's with oral motor challenges, such as issues with range of motion with their tongues, or with oral-sensory issues, should be encouraged to explore texture on their terms, while providing texture that encourage tongue protrusion (reaching out with their tongues) and tongue lateralization (side to side movement of their tongues). When a baby guards their mouth due to a gag reflex, high palate, or a sensory expectation, it's important to offer toys that will not enter their mouths and gag them. For baby's who have just had a frenectomy (a tongue or lip tie release), should be offered toys they have to reach with their tongues (this increases range of tongue protrusion) instead of offering toys that enter their mouth or frenectomy wound. For baby's who don't move their tongue side to side well, offering a toy they can spin side to side with their tongue is helpful.
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