PEDIATRIC
Oral Placement Therapy
​Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is a multi-sensory approach that recognizes clients who may need more than just visual and auditory cues. For these individuals, the act of feeling what they are doing with their mouth is crucial for successful eating, drinking, and speaking.
Oral Placement
Therapy is for:
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Children who have muscle-based weakness due to conditions like Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and other motor speech disorders will benefit from this approach.
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Individuals also may require physical and sensory input to better understand how their oral structures (jaw, lips, mouth) need to move in order to carry out tasks like speech, eating, and drinking.
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​Note: Based on the needs of your child, there may be tools associated with exercises that are used to provide physical and sensory input. Depending on the rate of progress and frequency of intervention, your therapist may suggest individual purchases of tools so that your child can practice at home between sessions.
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Note: We always tie an oral placement task to a functional activity (speech, eating, drinking). That way the child feels how their mouth should move, and then they apply it to the real task.
How we help:
​We utilize a mixture of play-based and structured approaches when implementing this type of therapy, depending on the age, skill, and needs of the client. We provide consistent caregiver support and training for home carryover when it comes to oral placement therapy. We utilize a variety of strategies and techniques specifically for each client and their individual needs. Consistent home practice is needed when involved in this type of therapy as we are focusing on building strength, muscle memory, and awareness!