Question
What oral motor exercises would you recommend for pediatric dysphagia?
Answer
I would say that it depends on what skill(s) and what muscle group(s) you are trying to target. Motor challenges are not always just related to strength, but may also involve initiation, range of motion, coordination, and/or endurance. Each of these requires different types of exercises. In addition to the specific motor challenges that need to be addressed, the exact deficient muscle or groups of muscle needs to be identified and targeted in your program. Therefore, based on the type of motor challenge and the region you are targeting then you need to create an individual plan of activities for your patient.
Donna Scarborough, Ph.D., CCC-OT, specializes in developmental/medical speech language pathology, developmental neurosensory physiology and pediatric dysphagia at Miami University located in Oxford, Ohio. She teaches the graduate level course in Dysphagia, Trach and Vent and head and neck anatomy and physiology to undergraduates. She currently serves as the chair of the Division 13 Research Committee and is a member of the ASHA's Division 13 pediatric advisory board.
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