Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is a specialized, multisensory speech therapy that combines auditory, visual, and tactile stimulation to improve speech clarity and feeding skills. It supplements traditional speech therapy by helping individuals feel and control the movements of their jaw, lips, and tongue.
Who Benefits from OPT?
OPT is highly effective for individuals who struggle with motor or sensory impairments and may not respond to auditory or visual cues alone. It is frequently used for people with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
- Down syndrome
- Post-stroke recovery or traumatic brain injury
Rather than just teaching a client how to make a sound, OPT trains the physical muscles and sensory awareness required to produce it.
- Tactile-Proprioceptive Teaching: Therapists use hands-on tools to stimulate oral muscles, building muscle memory for specific sounds.
- Specialized Tools: Therapy sessions and at-home exercises often incorporate specialized tools like straws, horns, bite blocks, and chew tubes to build strength, stability, and control.
- Normalize Oral Sensitivity: Helps desensitize or stimulate the mouth for better sensory awareness.
- Improve Articulatory Placement: Teaches how to correctly position the jaw, lips, and tongue for clear articulation.
- Assist with Feeding and Swallowing: Treats underlying muscle and coordination weaknesses that cause gagging, choking, or restricted diets.
OPT should only be administered or prescribed by a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who has specific training in oral-motor techniques.
If you are looking for specific therapy centre, or an OPT starter kit, you are at right place.