Tongue Thrust Speech Therapy

Tongue Tongue Thrust Speech Therapy

A tongue thrust occurs when the tongue moves too far forward during speech or swallowing. The lips are often in an open position, allowing the tongue to protrude out of the mouth at rest. Due to many variables in the specifics of an individual’s tongue thrust, it is extremely important to have a skilled team including a dentist, orthodontist, pediatrician, and speech therapist involved. Some signs of a tongue thrust disorder include the following and should be investigated further with an evaluation of speech pathologist:

  • Tongue protruding between or against the upper and/or lower “front teeth” when forming /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/, or /sh/
  • An open-mouth resting posture with the lips parted and/or the tongue resting against the upper and/or lower teeth
  • Cracked, chapped, and sore lips from frequent licking
  • Mouth breathing for reasons other than allergies or nasal congestion
  • The Brooklyn Letters team can provide tongue thrust speech therapy to help a child and/or adult both understand and practice proper tongue and lip postures with awareness training. After assessing the irregular placement of the tongue and/or lips, the child and/or adult will perform tongue thrust speech therapy exercises to make adjustments for the appropriate placement. The child and/or adult will also be able to establish a safer and more comfortable swallowing pattern by observing the difference between a correct and an incorrect swallow. With continued practice, pulling the tongue back, instead of forward, during swallows. If the tongue thrust causes speech sound errors, the Brooklyn Letters speech therapist can provide tongue thrust speech therapy and work to help your child have proper tongue placement to produce the correct sounds.

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