CoordiKids Byte: Mouth

Overview

CoordiKids Byte: Mouth is an evidence-based, online program of video-recorded exercises designed for children aged 4–12 to enhance oral motor skills, strengthening the jaws, lips, and tongue.

Featuring seven targeted exercises, this course supports improved eating, clear speech, confident sipping, and even singing. It is particularly beneficial for children with challenges in processing food textures, speech articulation, or habits like thumb-sucking and non-food chewing, often associated with sensory or anxiety-related needs.

Parental involvement is encouraged to ensure engagement and skill development.

Program Structure

The Mouth program employs a structured, progressive approach to foster neuroplasticity and oral motor coordination:

• Exercise Progression: Begin with the first exercise and continue until the child demonstrates smooth, confident performance before advancing to the next.
• Daily Practice: Perform one exercise daily for five consecutive days.
• Rest Period: Follow with a two-day rest period to support neural consolidation.
• Repetition: Repeat the same exercise for an additional five days to reinforce oral motor pathways.
• Brain Bridging: Some exercises involve memory and repetition of sequences of sounds and mouth movements, which also enhance brain bridging.

Optional Engagement Activities

To enhance engagement and competence, you’ll find some optional games to add to the course, such as food exploration, lip licking and more. 

Objectives and Benefits

This program strengthens oral motor skills through repetitive, coordinated movements that enhance brain bridging and motor planning. Key benefits include:

• Improved chewing, swallowing, and sipping of diverse food textures
• Enhanced speech clarity and articulation for confident communication
• Reduced reliance on habits like thumb-sucking or chewing non-food items
• Increased focus and calmness through oral sensory regulation

These exercises are designed to be engaging yet appropriately challenging, promoting skill mastery and confidence.

Recommendations for Success

Progress at the child’s pace to avoid frustration, ensuring each exercise is mastered before advancing.

• For children with sensory processing challenges, such as picky eating or mouth-stuffing, consider pairing this program with CoordiKids Byte: Sensory Modulation for additional support.
• Monitor posture and balance, as they support effective oral movements; CoordiKids Byte: Posture and Balance can provide further assistance if needed.
• If progress is slow after four weeks, consult a CoordiKids therapist or speech-language pathologist for personalized guidance.

Parental involvement is essential to maintain engagement and adapt exercises to the child’s needs.

Getting Started

Begin with the first exercise, practising daily for five days, followed by a two-day rest, then repeat for another five days. Incorporate optional games to keep the experience dynamic and enjoyable. This approach builds robust oral motor skills, empowering children to excel in eating, speaking, and sensory regulation tasks.