Book : Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia, 2nd Edition by Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D. (Author)
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride’s website
Research study of the link between gut biome and autism: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-gut-microbiome-could-provide-new-tool-treat-autism-180972416/
Book: Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Brock, M.D. and Cameron Stauth
a. First words signing
Signing Time Volume 1: My First Signs by Rachel de Azevedo Coleman a series of fun kids videos which can be streamed and board books.
b. Communication Books you can make at home:
https://www.amyspeechlanguagetherapy.com/communication-boards.html
c. Toddler Talk
1. Toddler Talk: Easily Encourage Your Toddler’s Language Development With Our Tips & Techniques! (Child Language Development Book 1) Kindle Editior
Bridget Giraldo (Author)
2. My Toddler Talks: Strategies and Activities to Promote Your Child’s Language Development 1st Edition
Kimberly Scanlon (Author)
a. Book: The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder (The Out-of-Sync Child Series) Revised Edition
by Carol Kranowitz (Author), Lucy Jane Miller (Preface)
b. Sensory Strategies to Calm and Engage Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Book: Nobody Ever Told Me (or my Mother) That!: Everything from Bottles and Breathing to Healthy Speech Development Paperback – April 15, 2010
by Diane Bahr (Author)
a. Book by Pam Marshalla Stop Drooling
b. Book by Pam Marshalla Stop Thumbsucking
c. Oral Motor Play ideas
1. Blowing
dandelions that have gone to seed
cotton, dry cornmeal, feathers or lightweight objects across the table blow tissue into the air
bubbles from a bubble wand, or blowing bubbles off your hand in the bath
blowing up a balloon with your help
table hockey blowing a paper or wadded napkin corner across the table
2. Chewing and Jaw strength
Tug of war with rubber tubing ( refrigerator tubing is regulated to be foodsafe) or licorice. You can pretend to be tigers or puppies
Make teeth marks with the indentation of your front and back teeth on beef jerky, carrot, jicama, dried fruit , harder licorice that has become slightly stale
Fruit rollups . fruit leather, fruit chews. gummy worms, taffy
3. Tongue Movement
Licking popsicles, suckers, ice cream cones
Lick food out of the bowl like a puppy
Lick something off a sticky spoon ( peanut butter, honey, etc)
Pretend to be like a kitty and lick paws
Clicking your tongue
Singing lalala to music
Blowing “rasberries” with her tongue
Use tongue to brush along your teeth
“Sweep the house” -use tongue to sweep the floor of your mouth, space between cheek and teeth , top of your mouth.
Move tongue to touch corners of mouth while making silly faces
Balance a cheerio or small piece of food on tongue , then stick tongue in
and out of mouth to play hide-and-seek or peek-a-boo.
4. Straws and Horns
Anything that requires your child to close lips around one of these will exercise the lips and cheeks and also require tongue retraction and elevation.
Fun loopy straws can be fun to use and become gradually harder on the muscles to use the more loops they have.
You can also drink thicker liquids through a straw work these muscles ( nectar, yogurt, ice cream, pudding)
Horns and whistles can be another fun way to work a lot of muscle groups at once.
As parents of children with special needs, you often have to make tough decisions and sift through a lot of very new and unfamiliar information. Not much in the way of medical treatment is being offered to us yet, as much of what our kids are experiencing is new, highly delicate, and does not respond well to the treatment and medications conventional medicine has to offer either prescription or over the counter.