Speech and language development is a big thing for a child. But for some children, speaking clearly and properly can be a real struggle.
Speech disorders in Dubai and other cities in the UAE are now in the talk, and parents are actively looking for the most efficient treatment solutions. And, the good news is – oral motor exercises support speech therapy for children, treating speech and language disorders.
Talking about these oral motor exercises, well, these exercises are very easy to do and work well to build the muscles required for speech. They enhance pronunciation and articulation, and improve overall communication.
So, don’t feel stressed! If your little one is having difficulty with speech development, because of autism or other conditions, intensive speech therapy in Dubai can be helpful!
Okay, now one thing to be clear about! Speech therapy is just about learning words—in fact, it is about developing the mouth, lips, tongue, and jaw of children so that they can effectively use words, sentences for overall communication.
Why Are Oral Motor Exercises Important?
Why do children even suffer with speech? It may happen due to weak or uncoordinated oral muscles. This is especially prevalent in children with autism, speech delay, and other communication disorders. Speech development in autism usually needs specific exercises to enhance oral motor skills.
What oral motor exercises do is:
- Strengthen the oral muscles involved in speech.
- Enhances coordination of the tongue, lips, and jaw.
- Increase the capacity to make sounds accurately.
- Help in chewing and swallowing, because these are correlated with speech development.
Parents who are looking for speech therapy for children in Dubai should have a prior idea of oral motor exercises as a part of a child’s speech therapy process.
Let’s Know about Some of the Successful Oral Motor Exercises for Speech Development
First of all, keep in mind that each child is different, and so do their needs. That’s why top speech language pathologists in Dubai design a custom therapy approach with specific targeted exercises to address the particular speech issues of a child.
Let’s take a look at these oral motor exercises
Blowing Exercises
Blowing air provides strengthening for the muscles of the lips and cheeks. This assists children with airflow control to produce improved pronunciation.
- Utilize bubbles, whistles, or straws to provide controlled blowing.
- Blow cotton balls across a table as a game.
Lip Strengthening Exercises
- Strong lips facilitate proper articulation.
- Have your child place a spoon or popsicle stick between their lips.
- Encourage wide lip movements, like smiling and puckering.
Tongue Exercises
- A flexible and strong tongue enhances the clarity of speech.
- Have your child press their tongue against their nose and chin.
- Encourage them to move their tongue from side to side.
- Use ice cream or lollipops to initiate licking exercises.
Jaw Strengthening Activities
- A steady jaw facilitates controlled movements of speech.
- Get your child to chew on hard foods such as carrots or apples.
- Play a “jaw opening and closing” game in front of a mirror.
Facial Massage and Stimulation
Children with low muscle tone can benefit from gentle facial massage as it can enhance awareness and control.
- Gently rub the cheeks and lips with a soft cloth.
- Give sensory input by tapping or applying light pressure around the mouth.
How a Speech Therapist Can Help
Before parents perform these exercises with their kids at home, consulting the top pediatric speech therapist in Dubai at first is the right thing to do. It guarantees that children get a well-structured and effective therapy plan. Intensive speech therapy integrates these exercises with established speech techniques to maximize progress.
A speech language pathologist in Dubai can do the following:
- Evaluate the child’s individual needs.
- Tailor exercises according to their difficulties.
- Employ fun activities to make learning enjoyable.
- Track progress and modify techniques accordingly.
- Involve parents/caregivers in the plan to effectively guide the child even at home and other settings.
Closing Up
Reach out to our clinic, Hope AMC in Dubai! We have board-certified pediatric speech language pathologists who already have helped many children with speech and language disorders.
Visit our official website for further details! Or, simply book an appointment now!
