Techniques

Question 1

Basic suck training

Answer 1

1. Stroke cheek to lips
2. Brush lips until relaxed
3. Massage gums
4. Insert finger pad up and allow baby to draw finger to s-spot
5. Alternate rubbing palate with downward and forward pressure
6. For humped tongue, press down periodically

Question 2

Tongue walk

Answer 2

1. Use tip of finger to press down on tip of tongue, then release
2. Place finger a little farther back on the tongue and repeat

Question 3

Suck training for tongue tip elevation
Why needed?
How?

Answer 3

Tongue tip elevates and becomes barrier to latch

1. Calm baby
2. Tickle tongue tip down with a finger just before attachment
3. Use finger feeding to teach infant that milk should be on top of the tongue

Question 4

Suck training for tongue humping (posterior elevation)

Answer 4

Work against posterior blockage

Massage posterior tongue in circular motion with exaggeration of the outward movement

Question 5

tongue retraction and therapy

Answer 5

• Tongue is help posteriorly with tongue tip behind alveolar ridges
  -Stops infant from grasping because tongue contact is salient stimulus for latch
• bite reflex activated when infants lower gum contacts breast without tongue
  Technique - massage anterior tongue until it extend forward or finger feed while massaging forward

Question 6

Suck training for infants with neuro dysfunction

Answer 6

1. Place infant head and body in a flexed positino
2. Gently stroke or press on infants cheeks to encourage suckling
3. Gently move a finger all directions in infant mouth - tongue, cheek, hard palate
4. If no suck - encircle mouth with the fingertip several times with gentl tapping
5. Vibrate with fingertips under the chin and along either side of larynx