Understanding Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is a complex disorder that is sometimes difficult for people to understand. This disorder is usually rooted by anxiety and fear. If your child has selective mutism, they may have difficulty speaking in new social situations. This might include speaking with peers on a sports team, at the playground and/or in the classroom. Without intervention, this disorder often interferes with a child’s academic achievement and also social relationships.

It is important to recognize that selective mutism does not necessarily mean there is a deficit in the child’s language skills. It is also important to understand that we might not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of selective mutism when it occurs. Selective mutism can be linked to genetics, a family history of mental health disorders and can be caused by fear/anxiety in the child. If you suspect your child may have selective mutism, an appointment with your pediatrician would be a great first step. They may refer you to a neuropsychologist, a speech therapist and/or a counselor. Treatment may be done by a team of professionals over time and may consist of reducing anxiety and building confidence in the child. 

If you suspect your child has selective mutism, we can provide therapy services that support your child’s communication and services that allow the child’s confidence to grow in social situations. If you have questions regarding selective mutism or other speech, language or feeding disorders please call or email our office. We would be happy to walk alongside you and find the best team for your child. For more information, you can also visit the Selective Mutism Association website. 

Image provided by Canva 

Common Referrals in Myofunctional Therapy

When there is a diagnosis of a myofunctional disorder, it can be kind of confusing. Sometimes, your therapist might refer you to many different providers. We understand this can be overwhelming and that is why we wrote this blog post to educate about the different providers that we often refer to. When we make a referral for a patient, it is so we can get the most accurate picture of a child and so we can provide the best services possible. We are here to help you advocate for your child. Check out the most common referrals we make when we are treating a myofunctional disorder. 

Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor: 

When treating a myofunctional disorder, we want to rule out any concerns related to the airway. This might include having a provider look at tonsils/adenoids. They also might look at any other structural differences that may be a contributing factor to sleep disordered breathing. 

Craniosacral Therapy: 

We often refer to craniosacral therapy to release tension that may be occuring with a myofunctional disorder. If the tongue or other facial muscles are not being used appropriately, other muscles may be recruited to compensate; therefore, leading to tension in the body. Some hotspots for tension may include the shoulders and neck regions. Craniosacral therapy uses gentle touch/pressure to release tension in the body. It is a great compliment to myofunctional therapy. Some craniosacral therapists may also be able to work directly in the mouth releasing tension associated with the oral structures. 

Chiropractor:

A chiropractor is also an integral part of the myofunctional team. It’s a bit different from craniosacral therapy. Chiropractor care most often uses more forceful manipulations to align the spine. Chiropractors use various interventions to improve your body’s function. Chiropractic care can assist with many different things including posture, anxiety, tension and more. This can be another great treatment in adjunct with myofunctional therapy. 

Dentist/Orthodontist: 

Your therapist might also refer you to a dentist, especially one that is airway centered. A dentist trained to assess and diagnose tongue ties is critical when working on a myofunctional team. We might also refer to a dentist to rule out concerns related to the jaw joint. An orthodontist is another member of the team. We may refer to an orthodontist to speak about palatal expansion if this is a contributing factor to the myofunctional disorder. When the palate is high and narrow, the tongue might be unable to fully rest in its correct position and can restrict the airway. This can lead to issues with feeding, swallowing and breathing. 

If you have any questions pertaining to the information above, we can provide a consultation and speak with you about your concerns. We are here to support you and advocate for you and your family. We look forward to meeting you!

Let’s Look at Some Fall Books

It’s officially September! The leaves are starting to change, and it will officially fall soon. We want to share with you some of our favorite fall books to enjoy with your kiddos. Here are just a few!

• We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt

We enjoy this book for sequencing events. It is also a great, repetitive book. Repetition allows for lots of models to happen and gives the child opportunities to join in and engage. 

• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves 

This book is another one with lots of repetition which is great for reinforcing language and allows the child the opportunity to predict what’s next. This book can also help with practicing rhyming skills!

• Little Acorn

This book explores how an acorn becomes a tree, and it has the cutest illustrations! The book is very informative and would be great for asking WH-questions to check for understanding.  

• It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse

This book is great for learning about facial expressions and other emotions. We like this book because it’s simple and easy to follow along with. You can make it interactive by having your child imitate the expressions or making pumpkins of your own!

Unlocking Opportunities

We understand that speech therapy and other disciplines can be expensive. We want to take the time to provide you with some helpful resources that would allow your child to continue to receive speech and language therapy during hard financial times. Below are five different foundations you might be eligible to apply for. We listed just some of the information/requirements. It is important to visit the links provided and read the full criteria for the application process. If you have questions or would like assistance with this process, we would be happy to help you. We would love to help you unlock opportunities for your child.

Family Hope Foundation:

This foundation serves families in the West Michigan Area. They have both spring and fall application cycles and families can apply for up to 1,000 dollars. The fall application is open NOW!

Family Hope Foundation | Therapy Scholarships (thefamilyhopefoundation.org)

Small Steps

This foundation awards grants up to 3,000 dollars. Small Steps has four application cycles and is for individuals up to age 22.  

01-2024+revised-individual-application.pdf (squarespace.com)

Small Steps In Speech

Oracle Health Foundation

This foundation provides grants throughout the United States. You must be 18 years of age or younger to apply for a grant. 

Pediatric Medical Grants | Oracle Health Foundation

The Orange Effect Foundation

For this grant, all insurance must be exhausted before the grant can be put into place. This foundation also has four different application cycles. Those up to 21 years of age will be considered. 

Grant Application - The Orange Effect Foundation

United Healthcare Foundation

For this foundation, the individual must be 16 years of age or younger. The regional boards for this application meet once per month to review applications. 

Apply for a Grant | UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation (uhccf.org)

Foods for Oral Development

At our office, we love to promote feeding with a variety of hard, crunchy foods. This is because it is important for the development of the jaw and muscle function. What comes to mind when you think of typical toddler foods? Maybe, applesauce pouches, mac and cheese, goldfish crackers. These foods are yummy and convenient. They may still be good to have in moderation. However, a lot of the “typical” toddler foods are soft and processed foods that don’t put the oral muscles to work. It is important to allow your toddler to get a lot of chewing practice as they grow. This chewing practice can assist with proper oral development which may in turn assist with preventing the need for later intervention (i.e. orthodontic work, sleep apnea, speech therapy). 

We want to provide you with some top foods for your toddler so they can thrive!

Veggies: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, and peppers are just a few

Meat: strips of chicken, bacon, jerky 

Fruits: apples, strawberries, mangos, pears

Other: chips, crackers - should be consumed in moderation due to often getting stuck in the teeth leading to build up

At Building Blocks Therapy Services, our therapists are equipped with the skills and knowledge to help your child with their feeding skills. Please, visit www.buildingblocksgr.com or call (616) 570-925 to learn more about supporting your child’s feeding development. We look forward to building a relationship with you and your child!

Sources: Begin Balanced-Priya Bhasin

Let's Talk About Sippy Cups!

Sippy cups have become a common item in households with children. We get it, kids are MESSY!  We recognize that convenience is crucial and cleaning up spills is not enjoyable. Before you buy another sippy cup, let’s explore some other options instead that can help your child’s oral development.

Potential Impacts of Sippy cup drinking: 

As your child grows and develops, their swallowing pattern changes. As an infant, the tongue moves from front to back. However, as a baby grows, they develop a more mature swallow pattern where the tongue anchors behind the top teeth. Use of a sippy cup pushes the tongue down and a more advanced swallow pattern will be difficult to learn. This can impact growth of the teeth and can also affect the shape of the palate as well. This can also impact your child’s ability to produce speech sounds. 

Tips for how to transition to a cup: 

• Make sure your child is supported, have them sit in a chair with their feet touching the ground or high chair

• Let your child explore: be patient with them spilling, it’s going to happen. Let them play with empty cups 

• Model for your child how you drink from the cup, children learn best through models from parents, siblings, daycare providers, etc. 

Let’s explore some options that can help advance your child’s development of oral-facial muscles. 

Honey Bear Cup: Straw drinking can strengthen the lips, tongue and cheek muscles! 

Amazon.com: Honey Bear Straw Cups for Babies 1 pack, 8oz straw bear cup with improved safety lid design, honeybear baby cup straw, Leak-Proof & Food-Grade & BPA Free (AQUA) : Baby

Ezpz Mini Cup: Cup drinking is another option for allowing your child to learn a mature swallow pattern. 

Amazon.com: ezpz Mini Cup + Straw Training System - 9 Months+ (Gray) - 100% Silicone Training Cup for Infants + Toddlers - Designed by a Pediatric Feeding Specialist : Baby

At Building Blocks Therapy Services, our therapists are trained to support your child’s feeding and oral facial development. Our therapists can give you and your child the tools to encourage age-appropriate feeding skills. If you are interested in learning more please visit www.buildingblocksgr.com or call (616) 570-925.

Supporting Language Development for Infants

Between the 16 to 22 weeks of pregnancy, your baby can start to hear the sounds inside of your body. By 23 weeks your baby can begin to hear your voice. Isn’t this amazing? When your baby arrives there are so many things you can do to continue to support their speech and language development. These skills are best learned through everyday activities and models. Here are just a few to help you get started.  

Copy: When your baby makes a “ma” sound, say it back. Hearing this repetition is a playful way for your baby to develop back and forth communication. Encourage them to imitate you. 

Read: Let your baby explore a variety of books. Hearing new words often will allow your baby’s future language and vocabulary to flourish. 

Expand: If your baby is beginning to use one-word utterances, expand upon it. If your child says “eat” you can say “yes, let’s eat apples.” This strategy may help your child to lengthen their own communication utterances.

Explore: Allow your baby to explore various sensory experiences. Use bubbles, let them play with food, encourage them to crawl through tunnels. Explain these experiences with the use of natural language models. When you encourage the body and mind to work together you can enhance your child’s overall cognitive development. 

Sing: Hearing your voice may help to calm your baby and can be another way to explore the use of language. You can even make up your own songs, we do it all the time! 

Narrate: Think about what your child would say if they were able to speak and model if for them. When playing outside they may say “wow, look at the flowers!” Give your child the language they need. 

At Building Blocks Therapy Services, our therapists are trained to support your child’s speech and language development. Our therapists are ready to give you and your child the tools to encourage successful communication. If you are interested in learning more please visit www.buildingblocksgr.com or call (616) 570-925. Your child deserves the best, and at Building Blocks Therapy Services, we're here to make it happen.

Sources:

Healthychildren.org