[ Post a Response | AAC, Special Education, and Inclusion ]
Posted by AAB on 8/24/2009, 12:38 pm, in reply to "Re: tongue thrust"
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I am an SLP and did my grad thesis about tongue thrust and thought that I would share what I learned through the SLP research. First, frontal lisp and tongue thrust are not always the same thing. Tongue thrust is an oromyofacial disorder that is present when the whole tongue or part of the tongue forcefully presses against the teeth at rest or during swallow. This pressing causes the shape of the teeth and oral cavity to change. Because the tongue does not rest against and gently apply pressure to the hard palate, often tongue thrusters have high vaulted palates. Tongue thrusters often have "buck teeth" or open bites. The dental literature and SLP lit differ about treatment success. Most SLP lit agrees that an oral motor program focused on changing the tongue thrusting pattern is the most effective route (braces/other orthodontia may still be needed to fix teeth). Dentists tend to want to add appliances like cribs or rakes that make it uncomfortable to hold the tongue against the teeth. While these appliances tend to work in the short run, most tongue thrusters begin to press against other surfaces of teeth or become used to the appliance. There are few long term efficacy studies of rakes and often tongue thrusters wear orthodontia for a lifetime.
Tongue thrust therapy is different that artic therapy. You work on swallowing and resting tongue patterns. Tongue thrust therapy will not clear up s/z errors: artic therapy for s/z will not fix a tongue thrust. Many great tongue thrust program are available. I like the Swallow Right program.
Most oromyofacial therapists reccommend working with a dentist while completing oral motor therapy focused on creating healthier resting tongue and swallowing patterns. If the therapy is not working, the dentist can step in and apply a rake or crib the the teeth.
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