Major focus area

Feeding Therapy -> Swallowing

Short description

These are treatment techniques use to stimulate the facial and intraoral muscles to increase or reduce tone and increase awareness (Bahr, 2001).

Long description

Most patients with feeding/swallowing disorders can tolerate some form of stimulation done in conjunction with feeding or without. Techniques to stimulate the facial muscles and lip musculature include use of broad smiling, tight frowning, alternating lip movements between pursing and retracting, and use of resistive sucking through a pinched straw. The use of an intraoral massage can increase oral awareness and improve the patient’s response to sensation. The use of facial molding helps to reduce muscle tongue and provides tactile stimulation to the face with the use of general massage to the face and gently molding the facial structure toward a closed month or lip position. Gum massagers and other utensils may stimulate an increase with salivary secretions.