The Side Biter Story
What therapists are saying...
"I work as a speech-language pathologist in pediatric outpatient and my patients have LOVED using the Side Biter. My patients love loading the Side Biter, giving them a chance to explore the foods we are presenting during the session. I have been able to address tongue lateralization, mastication and oral stimulation with my 18 month old to my school-aged clients. Thank you Gnosh, Inc for making this useful tool.
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I LOVE the MINI BITER too for younger children "
-Rachael Doyle,
M.S., CCC- SLP
Early Intervention Specialist
Cheryl Pelletier, MS,CCC-SLP, Gnosh, Inc
"While working for over 35 years with children and adults who do not safely accept, chew and swallow food for adequate nutrition and health, I found a need for this 3-part system. I work with the kit and individual biter tips as well with great success. My goal is to share this device with my colleagues so they can help patients with chewing and swallowing problems. The Side Biter & the Mini Biter has a place in the dysphagia "TOOLBOX" along with your expert clinical judgement and skilled techniques to help many complex patients across the lifespan."
Feeding-swallowing specialists see patients with feeding-swallowing dysfunction have specific sensory, motor, oral dysfunction, poor food acceptance, and/or medical problems. They endure aspiration, choking, gagging, vomiting, starvation and are often fed by tubes in their stomachs (gastronomy tube) or have never had solid food inside their mouths. Learning to chew and swallow is dangerous and anxiety provoking for patients and their families. Feeding and swallowing therapy takes months and even years to complete. The costs to families and insurance companies is enormous. However, eating is an essential, pleasurable aspect of being human.
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The Side Biter 1, 2, 3 levels were designed as specialized, innovative chewing and swallowing exercise tools that provides a systematic approach that gradually allows therapeutic amounts of diced or frozen foods to enter the mouth which stimulates a patient’s oral cavity (lips, tongue, jaw). The Side Biter & Mini Biter tools gradually and safely aids in the development of food acceptance for effective chewing and side biting skills, lateral and rotary tongue motion in the oral phase of eating and swallowing for ages 2 to 102 years of age. The Mini Biter is a smaller version designed for smaller mouths, 8 months and up and has 6 holes on the biting tip that can be used with diced and frozen foods.
A complete dysphagia evaluation is required prior to medical use.
