The Side Biter Difference

                                        What makes these tools different?

Data-  1330 clinicians 820 SLPs & 510 OTs surveyed after purchase/trial 2017-2025* reported the following:

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•Hand to Mouth Nutritive Association:  Increased patient motivation because the tools use actual food in a hand-held tool to support independent  feeding while gradual food flavor and textures are chewed & swallowed in bolus transfer exercises in skilled dysphagia therapy activities.  Foods can be modified or offered in bite-sizes within the SAME session. Clinicians surveyed reported 94% of patients exhibited subjective increase in motivation, 91% of patients demonstrated functional and measurable progress. 70% of clinicians reported increased comfort/confidence when treating dysphagia clients. 97% of patient families reported increased comfort/confidence when feeding/practicing feeding skills.

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•Stimulates saliva & bolus management: Supports patients with oral-motor, sensory motor, oral dysphagia, pharyngeal dysphagia, fear of choking, sensory aversions, lack of eating experience by offering gradual food experiences for increase motor planning for licking, sucking and rotary & lateral tongue control during nutritive chewing by delivering food to the molars. 96% of patients across 78 diverse diagnostic categories demonstrated progress in at least one skill area.

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•Oral Motor & Swallowing Education for a Variety of Ages:  Functional sensory-based, chewing-swallowing tools for specific patients 7 months to adulthood with dysphagia and feeding impairments. Trialed with diverse patient demographics (age levels 7months to 96yo across 78 diverse diagnostic categories, and varied oral feeding baselines).

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•Functional  Applications across settings:  Clinical, teletherapy, hospitals, school-based, Early Intervention, babies,  group homes, adults in neuro or cancer rehab, SNF, home care, outpatient, positive home carryover. Clinicians Reported use and success across all settings listed above- purchased for use in all above listed settings. Home carry over results: 89% of clinicians report increased home carry over with consistent implementation.

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•Insurance Documentation & Coverage:  Documents progress in a systematic approach through levels from NPO (level 1) to levels 2, then level 3 which may provide 5 ml amounts across increasing levels to then safe chewing-swallowing. 91% of cases reported increase in at least 1 NOMS level, 76% of patients upgraded functionally from NPO,  in 9% of cases where no measurable progress demonstrated, measurable increase in success of pleasure feeding noted. 95% of clinicians in applicable settings report using the Side Biter for intake measurement purposes.

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In addition, Therapists & Caregivers have reported: 

•  Flexibility:  The Gnosh, Inc therapeutic chewing-swallowing exercise tools can be used with or without food. 

• Easy-to-clean in the dishwasher or boiling for 10 minutes, custom-made scrub brush included.

• Flavorful diced or frozen foods can be utilized in all of the tools.  ​

• Insurance reimbursement:  The Gnosh, Inc therapeutic chewing-swallowing exercise tools can support medical insurance documentation of patient progress using its systematic therapeutic progression of gradual increases in food amounts entering the mouth in formal feeding-dysphagia therapy.   Measurable improvements can be documented by using the progression through the cylinder levels (1-3) for maximum, safe improvements in chewing and swallowing results.  The patient can consume 1 teaspoon (5 ml) contained inside the biter tip. ​

•  Durable medical equipment:   The Gnosh, Inc therapeutic chewing-swallowing exercise tools are registered with the US FDA as a Class 1 medical device.  They are considered durable medical equipment that may be reimbursed by major medical insurance companies with a physician’s order and specific medical diagnosis supporting the use of this tool.

• Inter-professional:  The Gnosh, Inc tools can be useful to the following professionals: Feeding specialists, physicians, nurses, speech therapists, occupational therapists, autism specialists, nurses, aides, teachers, dietitians.

• NOTE: A complete medical swallowing assessment is required prior to use of the Gnosh, INC therapeutic chewing-swallowing exercise tools

• ​Lifespan Applications:  The Side Biter chewing-swallowing therapy devices can be used with patients with dysphagia across the lifespan;  7 months, children 2 years+, adolescents and adults. The Side Biter can be used in treating feeding disorders related to the following diagnoses: developmental delays, brain injuries, cerebral palsy, stroke, autism, syndromes.  See demo videos.​

• The Mini Biter holds 2.5 ml and was designed for smaller mouths.(7 months & up)

• Mini Biter is a smaller version designed for 7 months and up.  This tool has 6 holes to allow food the enter the moth during licking, sucking and feeding chewing actions.  See demo videos.​

• Systematic Dysphagia Therapy:  The Side Biter offers systematic and therapeutic food experiences inside 3 FDA approved silicone, mouth-safe cylinders with specifically placed holes that allow for gradual increases in flavor and food particles to enter the mouth during feeding and dysphagia therapy.  This offers the medical clinician to offer patients safe, effective therapeutic chewing and swallowing practice in hand-held silicone cylinders containing diced or frozen table food. 

• Food Aversion:  The Gnosh, Inc therapeutic chewing-swallowing exercise tools can with or without food with patients who have food trauma, feeding disorders, picky eating and sensory oral food aversions. 

• Nutritive Chewing:  The Side Biter & The Mini Biter uses food and not just rubber for the patient to chew on which is required in evidence-based practice as food is needed to learn sensory & motor skills for bolus control (food in the mouth) and the development of nutritive chewing for functional eating and swallowing skills.