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Oral motor structures are the parts of the mouth that work together to help with eating, speaking, and making facial expressions. This includes the lips, tongue, jaw, cheeks, and teeth. When these structures are strong and coordinated, kids can do things like chew food, talk clearly, and show emotions on their face.
How do oral motor structures affect eating?
Oral motor structures play a crucial role in chewing, manipulating food, and swallowing safely. Difficulties or delays in these structures can affect a child’s ability to eat certain foods or cause challenges in the chewing and swallowing process.
Can difficulties with oral motor structures affect speech?
Yes, oral motor structures are closely connected to speech production. If there are issues with these structures, it can impact a child’s ability to articulate sounds and form words properly, leading to speech difficulties.
Are there any signs that my child may have oral motor challenges?
Signs of oral motor challenges can include difficulty chewing, excessive drooling, food pocketing, limited food preferences, speech delays, and difficulty imitating or producing certain speech sounds. If you have concerns, it’s best to consult with a speech-language pathologist or pediatrician for an evaluation.
The term oral motor structures refers to the anatomical components and musculature of the oral cavity, including the lips, tongue, jaw, cheeks, palate, and teeth. Proper development and coordination of these structures is crucial for a variety of functions, such as feeding, speech production, and facial expressions. Weakness or incoordination of the oral motor structures can lead to difficulties with tasks like chewing, swallowing, articulating speech sounds, and conveying emotions through facial expressions.
Helpful Resources:
Oral motor structures work together to perform a variety of important functions:
| Function | Oral Motor Structures Involved |
|---|---|
| Eating and drinking | Lips, cheeks, tongue, jaw |
| Speech production | Lips, tongue, jaw, cheeks |
| Facial expressions | Facial muscles around the mouth |
By understanding how oral motor structures work together, parents and professionals can better support kids’ development in eating, speaking, and expressing themselves.
