The Side Biter Level 3
Resources for medical professionals
This clear silicone cylinder is specifically designed to allow an increased amount of food, but still limited flavor and food particles to enter the mouth of the device through 10 holes. The 10 holes allows a gradual increase with maximum of 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of food to enter the mouth to flow through the soft tip into the mouth as the patient chews on the cylinder. Holes on the cylinder to allow the therapist to guide the food to molars, inner cheeks or side of the tongue based upon skilled assessment of patient needs. The patient is cued to remove the biter from the mouth to activate a swallow. The benefits of The Side Biter Level #3 include, but are not limited to:
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Development of more advanced, effective chewing, swallow activation and frequency for swallowing saliva containing food information such as flavor, juices, food fragments.
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Improves effective, safe oral sensory skills via controlled, by gradually increasing food flavor, texture and particles enter the mouth.
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Improves saliva control and swallowing given gradual increases in food contents in the mouth which is guided by the therapist.
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Increases tongue, jaw, lips, oral motor and pharyngeal swallowing skills by gradually introducing flavor and food particles into the mouth.
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Improves muscular control for chewing with mandibular jaw action moving foods in the mouth to form a gradual bolus for swallow activation.
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Increases bolus control and swallowing effectiveness as the amount of food is allowed into the mouth via patient mastication.
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Improves muscular control for chewing with mandibular jaw action moving foods in the mouth to form a gradual increase bolus for swallow activation.
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Self-feeding development when patient can hold The Side Biter while chewing therapeutic food.
* Advancement to the safe consumption of food must be determined by a medical assessment of safe oral and swallowing skills.