Pune, September, 2024 – Lexicon Rainbow Therapy and Child Development Centre is excited to announce the availability of Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), a specialized intervention for improving eating and speech clarity. Under the expert guidance of Dr. Isha Soni, Centre Head and Senior Occupational Therapist certified in Sensory Integration and Oral Placement Therapy, the centre now offers this innovative therapy to help children with a range of developmental challenges.

 OPT has shown remarkable results in addressing issues such as picky eating, prolonged meal times, and unclear speech. Many parents express concerns about their child’s eating habits, such as difficulty transitioning from mashed foods or taking an unusually long time to complete a meal. Others report that their child’s speech is not easily understood in social settings like school, daycare, or among peers and relatives. These challenges are commonly observed in children with developmental delays such as Autism, ADHD, Apraxia, Cerebral Palsy, global developmental delays, seizure disorders, and swallowing difficulties, as well as in children with typical development but sensory sensitivities or motor planning issues.

 What is Oral Placement Therapy (OPT)? Oral Placement Therapy is a specialized approach that focuses on improving the function and coordination of the muscles involved in speech, swallowing, and oral functions. The primary goal is to help children develop or regain proper positioning and movement of the lips, tongue, jaw, and other oral structures during speech, eating, and swallowing.

 Key aspects of OPT include:
1. Assessment: A thorough evaluation of the child’s oral motor skills, strength, coordination, and overall function.
2. Oral Exercises: Targeted exercises to strengthen and improve the control of oral muscles, such as tongue movements, lip exercises, and coordinated chewing tasks.
3. Sensory Awareness: Techniques to enhance the child’s awareness and perception of their oral structures, helping them better control these functions.
4. Feeding and Swallowing Support: For children with swallowing difficulties, OPT focuses on the coordination and timing of swallowing, along with proper positioning during eating and drinking.
5. Carryover Activities: Strategies to help children practice and incorporate learned oral skills into their daily communication, feeding, and swallowing routines.

 This therapy is especially effective for conditions such as apraxia of speech, dysarthria, feeding difficulties, and other oral-motor function challenges. Importantly, OPT should only be administered by certified professionals, and Lexicon Rainbow is proud to offer this therapy in Pune with expert oversight from Dr. Isha Soni.