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Tag: TMJ STIMULATION

Bite Tubes 101: How TalkTools Bite Tube Supports Jaw Stability, Safer Chewing, and Speech Clarity

If you’re working with clients who chew on their tongue or clothing, show open-mouth posture, or fatigue during chewing, TalkTools® Bite Tubes can be a game-changer. These therapist-designed tools provide targeted temporomandibular joint (TMJ) input and graded jaw work to support safer chewing and clearer speech patterns. In “Ask a Therapist,” TalkTools clinicians explain that […]

October 14, 2025 jayne General Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, BITE BLOCKS, BITE TUBE HIERARCHY, caregiver education, CHEWING SKILLS, co-articulation, DOWN SYNDROME, FEEDING THERAPY, home exercise program, jaw exercises, jaw grading, JAW STABILITY, masseter activation, mastication, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, OPT, oral cancer recovery, ORAL MOTOR THERAPY, Oral Placement Therapy, ORAL SENSORY INPUT, PEDIATRIC FEEDING, sensory seeking, SLP, SPECIAL NEEDS, SPEECH CLARITY, SPEECH THERAPY, TALKTOOLS, TalkTools Bite Tubes, TalkTools blog, TMJ STIMULATION, TRISMUS

Ask A Therapist: When to Start Tongue Retraction Exercises

I have attended two of Sara‘s workshops. I have a 7-11 year old student with a frontal lisp who still sucks his thumb at night and sometimes during the day. His tongue is forward with an open mouth position when he is at rest. I haven’t yet checked to see if his swallow is affected. Should […]

May 23, 2018 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE JAW, BITE BLOCKS, BLOWING HIERARCHY, FRONTAL LISP, HORN HIERARCHY, JAW BOOKOPEN MOUTH POSITION, OPEN MOUTH POSTURE, ORAL HABITS, Oral Placement Therapy, ORAL-MOTOR, SARA ROSENFELD-JOHNSONSTRAW HIERARCHY, TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR JOINT, THUMB SUCKING, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION

Ask A Therapist: Unsupervised Chewing

Hello, My patient was evaluated by you in June of 2014. We are currently using the red bite tube and yellow bite tube in therapy and at home to improve jaw strength and stability. However, the patient is now seeking ‘input’ orally—especially with chewing—now more than ever before. How can we support this sensory need […]

October 22, 2014 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, BITE TUBE HIERARCHY, BITE TUBE SET, BITE TUBES, CHEW, CHEW TOOL, CHEW TOY, CHEWIES, MASSAGING ACTION TEETHER, SARA ROSENFELD-JOHNSON, SENSORY TOOLS, TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR JOINT, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION

Ask A Therapist: A Therapeutic Alternative to Mouthing Habits

Hi Sara,   It has been awhile since we have seen you in Richmond! James is doing well. His speech seems pretty normal to us at this point (maybe some subtle things remaining). I was emailing with a related question, and hoping that you can point us in the right direction.   James has had some issues […]

September 24, 2014 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF THE JAW, FEEDING, FEEDING THERAPY, GUM CHEWING, GUM CHEWING PROGRAMMOUTHING HABITS, ORAL HABITS, ORAL MOTOR THERAPY, ORAL PLACEMENT, Oral Placement Therapy, ORAL-MOTORSARA ROSENFELD-JOHNSON, STRAWS AS THERAPY, talk tools, TALKTOOLS, TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR JOINT, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION

Ask A Therapist: Bite Tube Hierarchy for TMJ Stimulation

Dear TalkTools, My son, David, is 4 years old and has Down syndrome. He has, in the last year, started chewing on his tongue. I have tried giving him the P & Q to chew on and also the Gator Jiggler. The Gator works for a time and the P’s and Q’s do not seem […]

August 27, 2014 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, CHEWY HIERARCHY, DOWN SYNDROME, FEEDING, FEEDING THERAPY, LOW MUSCLE TONE, LOW TONEMUSCLE WEAKNESS, ORAL HABITS, ORAL MOTOR THERAPY, ORAL PLACEMENT, Oral Placement Therapy, ORAL-MOTOR, TALK TOOLSTALKTOOLS, TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION

Ask A Therapist: Teeth Grinding

My child has no problems with eating or drinking, but grinds his teeth until I want to grind mine! His dentist says it’s common in kids with Down syndrome. I saw your teeth grinding items and wondered if they might help? He is 5 years old, does not speak much – he imitates sounds, growls […]

December 16, 2013 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, BITE BLOCKS, BITE TUBE HIERARCHY, BITE TUBE SET, BITE TUBES, DOWN SYNDROME JAW BOOKJAW GRADING BITE BLOCKS, JAW INSTABILITY, JAW STIMULATION, JAW STRENGTH, JAW WEAKNESS, SARA ROSENFELD-JOHNSONTEETH GRINDING, TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION

Ask A Therapist: Teeth Grinding

My child has no problems with eating or drinking, but grinds his teeth until I want to grind mine! His dentist says it’s common in kids with Down syndrome. I saw your teeth grinding items and wondered if they might help? He is 5 years old, does not speak much – he imitates sounds, growls […]

December 16, 2013 administrator Ask A Therapist Comments (0) Details
Tags: ASK A THERAPIST, BITE BLOCKS, BITE TUBE HIERARCHY, BITE TUBE SET, BITE TUBES, JAW INSTABILITY, JAW STIMULATION, JAW STRENGTH, JAW WEAKNESS, SARA ROSENFELD-JOHNSONTEETH GRINDING, TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT, TMJ, TMJ STIMULATION