Q: My two-year-old client with Down syndrome has dysphasia and the classic forward tongue posture.  Which of your books will guide me to work on oral-motor skills so I can strengthen the oral structure for swallowing and speech?   Therapy is rarely about “strengthening” oral movements.  Therapy for developing expressive speech in a toddler with Down syndrome usually includes the following: Activities to encourage a wide variety of oral movement through feeding and oral play activities. Activities to get the…

Q: How can I get my client with Down syndrome (DS) to keep her tongue inside the mouth during speech? A client with Down syndrome has low tone, dysarthria, and lack of oral stability. The oral mechanism is supposed to be stabilized in a certain way during speech.  The jaw should move up-and-down in a very small restricted range that is high, and the tongue should anchor its movements in the back against the back lateral teeth or palate. Children…