Hi Bonnie,

What were the findings on the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol.  To increase chewing on food, the child must have more than just jaw strength.  To eat textured foods, the child needs posterior cheek strength, the tongue movement that you mentioned as well as the ability to chew 20 times at one per second on left and right.  When these skills are in place, I then use the Beckman Sensory Motor Approach and work outside mealtime, as we discussed at the conference.  I am attaching these files to this email.  I recommend increasing quantity of favored foods to 4 ounces in 20 minutes, then work on variety at the texture that is the easiest for the child until there are  20 different foods that the person can eat (5 each of protein, starch, vegetables and fruits).  Then work on increasing texture for those foods.  I work on only one food at a time that the family chooses based on the above information and we all work on the same food outside of mealtime.  The mealtime is a family and social time using whatever food for intake is the easiest for the person to eat.

Debra Beckman

Beckman & Associates, Inc.

1211 Palmetto Ave

Winter Park, FL 32789

407-647-4740

dbec1998@...

--- On Wed, 5/7/08, otrjh <jhoffman49@...> wrote:

From: otrjh <jhoffman49@...>
Subject: [bomri] Chewing skills
To: bomri@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 11:28 PM

I'm looking for ideas to work with a cortically blind low CD child age
11 years. She can bring a loaded spoon to her mouth and remove the
food but does not chew. A recent refresher of the Bechman course
helped set up a program for tongue movements and chewing activities.
However, she still isn't doing any active chewing. Just one bite then
swallow.

There is great school staff involvement with daily carryover of
activities. A gauze food bolus was used a couple years ago but given
up on. Food is chopped fine to prevent choking. The flat spoon is used
to present food into her cheek/molar area with little to no chewing
noted.

Currently doing pressure to the middle of her tongue and sides of her
tongue as well as circular swipes within her mouth. A probe is placed
into her molars with 4-6 very slight chews on one side and one bite on
the other.

Teaching cortically blind kids is a slow process. We have been working
on chewing for 6+ years. Are there any ideas out there??