The Baby & Oral Motor Stimulation

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

You know what? Today 22.5.2013 (Wednesday) is my first time eva in my paeds posting, to hold a premature baby. Premature baby okayhh, yang masih kat dalam wad tu. *eksaited plak*

Ini bukan baby itu.

Ok at first memang nebes giler. Yela anak orang kan. Kalau anak sendiri mungkin tak nebes sangat *Eh!* Malam tadi tidur tak lena la. Memikirkan hal ini. Malam tadi beriya search the correct way to hold a premature baby *okayhh ini hanya hiperbola*. Malam tadi sibuk search information about oral motor stimulation. Sebenarnya hari isnin dah ada naik wad. So, memang ada 1 baby ni has weak orofacial muscle control. So, she has problem in feeding (minum susu). Weak jaw movement, tongue movement, biting reflex, sucking reflex, suckling reflex and swallowing reflex. Therefore, she is currently drink milk through tube. And my therapist said, next time if I follow her to ward she want me to perform the oral motor stimulation to that baby. So, here is short information based on few references that I read. Feel free to read ya. =)

What is oral motor stimulation?

• Activities that involve sensory stimulation to or actions of the lips, jaw, tongue, soft palate, larynx, and respiratory muscles which are intended to influence the physiologic underpinnings of the oropharyngeal mechanism and thus improve its function
• May include active muscle exercise, muscle stretching, passive exercise and sensory stimulation.

Who need this stimulation?

Those who has oral motor disorder:

• Poor strength and coordination of lips, tongue, and jaw
• Poor speech clarity (muddled speech)
• Poor muscle tone in face (muscle appear to be sagging)
• Drooling (air liur meleleh)
• Difficulty with chewing & swallowing (feeding problem)
• Voice changes (speech sound hoarse/nasal/soft)
• Unable to perform coordinated oral movement

How to perform?

Need to done from external to internal area. The stimulation start from outside of the cheek, inner cheek, gum (gusi), palate (lelangit) and tongue.

***CAUTION: Don't touch straightly to the mouth. Coz afraid if the baby has hypersensitivity on their mouth area. Therefore, start from cheek.

1. Using index finger, stroking both cheek from lateral side of cheek towards mouth area
2. Tapping around mouth area
3. In circular motion, insert your little finger into the mouth to stimulate the masseter muscle (muscle at cheek) from inside the mouth
4. Rub your little finger at lateral gum and molar (place before the teeth come out) area
5. Quick swipes (few times) across the palate form left to right
6. Stroke the tongue tip. Move the finger to the midline of tongue (half way back and press down gently). Don't go too far. It will cause gagging to the baby.
7. Before any repetition, allow the baby to suck first then repeat above steps

Duration?

10 - 15 minutes for one  session. Repeat 5 times for each area that you stimulate.

When to peform?

Can be done before and after meal.

Should be done 45 minutes after meals to avoid vomiting reflex 

At first, untuk stimulate inner mouth tu wa guna jari telunjuk. Its quite big for the baby. Yela, dah la mulut dia comel je cenonit. So, guna lah jari kelinking aka pinky finger aka little finger ya. Anyway, it is a good experience for me to try. And I did it. I did the exercise to the baby! Weee~ Usually, dulu kalau ada saudara-mara yang baru bersalin, lepas sebulan or dah besar sket baru wa pegang baby tu. Dulu-dulu la mak wa tak bagi pegang sebab wa kecil lagi. Baby tu lagi la kecik. Seriously, when I hold the baby, naluri keibuan pun timbul *cewahh*. Its very nice to feel the reflex from the baby when I insert my fingers into her mouth. The way the baby suck my fingers, got to feel baby tongue movement with her tiny little mouth. ^_^

Ok, thats all for today. Mungkin ada yang wa tulis tu tak faham sangat, boleh la search untuk baca lebih lanjut. Especially oral motor stimulation for toddler or preschool age or school age. =)

p/s: Cara yang wa bagi kat atas tu suitable for infants. Untuk yang da besar pun boleh buat. Cara lebih kurang sama cuma ada lagi aktiviti tambahan boleh buat. Contohnya,buat fish mouth, main tiup belon sabun dan etc.

Macam ni la main tiup belon sabun. 

Boleh merangsangkan otot muka in a more fun ways with the kiddo.

Fish mouth

 

Alololo, chomey nye dia

@ cahaya.yang.satu @