At rest, the normal position of our mouth should be teeth slightly apart and our tongue tip resting on the roof of our mouth just behind our front two teeth. This puts our articulators, ( our lips, teeth, and tongue) in an ideal position to form the wide range of speech sounds required when it is time to speak. Many factors can change this typical position, including enlarged tonsils and adenoids, structural differences in the mouth, and various dental problems. However, one of the most preventable reasons that this position is interrupted is the overuse or inappropriate use of pacifiers and sippy cups or prolonged thumb-sucking.
Placing a foreign object, such as a pacifier, sippy cup tip, or thumb, in the mouth takes up valuable space, pushing the tongue down and back from where it normally rests. As a result, the tongue learns an incorrect resting position, making it more difficult to move to the correct spot in the mouth to articulate speech sounds. Additionally, prolonged use of sippy cups and pacifiers and prolonged thumb-sucking can cause dental problems, which can then complicate speech sound production ever further. Currently, the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend discontinuing the use of a pacifier by 4 years old to prevent related dental issues. However, if your child sucks his/her thumb, a pacifier may be a better alternative, as this habit is easier to control and eventually cease in comparison. This should be discussed with your child’s pediatrician or dentist to make the best decision for your unique situation.
When choosing a sippy cup, there are several important factors to consider. The spout of the sippy cup should be soft, flexible, and thin. For this reason, sippy cups with straws are often good options. However, the spout or straw should also be as short as possible, while allowing the child to comfortably drink. This combination of a short, thin, and flexible straw or spout takes up the least amount of room in the mouth possible, allowing the tongue to stay in its most optimal resting position.
At two years old, the average child is able to be understood about 50% of the time. This increases to about 75% at 3 years of age and then 90-100% at 4-5 years of age. If your child is experiencing problems with speech sound production, whether from negative oral habits or from an unknown cause, they may benefit from an evaluation with a licensed speech-language pathologist. Crawl, Walk, Jump, Run Therapy Clinic is here to help!
Please contact us at 586-323-2957 to set-up a FREE screening with one of our SLPs.
-Shana Dodgson, SLP
