The Power of the Tongue

Hey there! I want to talk to you about something really important for your child's therapy: their tongue. It might sound surprising, but the tongue plays a huge role in how your child eats. Let's explore why tongue movements like side-to-side (lateralization), lifting the tip (elevation), and lowering it (depression) are so crucial.

Why Tongue Function Matters in Therapy

We use two main types of therapy to help kids with their tongue function: myofunctional therapy and feeding therapy. Both therapies heavily emphasize the role of the tongue. When the tongue moves properly, it makes eating much easier and more effective.

Myofunctional Therapy focuses on correcting how the mouth and face muscles work. It helps with issues like improper swallowing, tongue thrust, and mouth breathing. These issues often stem from incorrect tongue posture or movement. By improving tongue function, myofunctional therapy helps ensure that the tongue rests in the right position and moves correctly during eating and swallowing.

Feeding Therapy helps kids who struggle with eating, chewing, or swallowing. These challenges can be due to a variety of reasons, including sensory processing disorders, physical impairments, or developmental delays. Feeding therapy aims to improve the strength, coordination, and function of the tongue and other oral structures, making the eating process more effective and enjoyable for your child.

The Importance of Tongue Lateralization

Tongue lateralization is just a fancy term for moving the tongue side to side. This movement is crucial for several reasons:

Chewing: When your child moves their tongue from side to side, it helps push food to the molars, where it gets chewed up properly. This is essential for breaking down food into smaller, more manageable pieces. Without proper lateralization, food might not be chewed well, which could lead to choking or digestive problems. Imagine trying to chew without being able to move food around in your mouth—it would be very difficult!

Oral Hygiene: A well-functioning tongue helps clear out food particles from the teeth and gums. When the tongue can move side to side efficiently, it acts like a natural toothbrush, sweeping away debris and reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease. Good tongue lateralization is a key part of maintaining your child's oral hygiene and overall dental health.

The Role of Tongue Tip Elevation and Depression

Tongue tip elevation and depression mean lifting and lowering the tip of the tongue. Here’s why these movements are crucial:

Swallowing: Proper tongue tip elevation is crucial for initiating the swallowing process. It helps propel the food or liquid towards the back of the mouth and down the throat. When your child lifts the tip of their tongue to the roof of their mouth, it creates a seal that helps push the food backward. Without this movement, swallowing can become inefficient and difficult, potentially leading to choking or aspiration.

Resting Posture: For myofunctional therapy, it’s important that the tongue rests lightly against the roof of the mouth. This correct resting posture helps maintain proper oral and facial development. If the tongue tip can lift effectively, it ensures that the tongue is in the right position when at rest, promoting better breathing and reducing the risk of issues like mouth breathing or snoring.

The tongue is a powerful and versatile muscle that's crucial for your child's eating abilities. By focusing on improving tongue lateralization, tip elevation, and depression, we can help your child achieve better oral function and more effective eating habits. Recognizing the importance of these tongue movements and incorporating targeted exercises can lead to significant improvements in your child’s quality of life. Let’s work together to make these little changes that can have a big impact!