What Are Oral Motor Skills?

Generally, oral motor skills involve the strength and flexibility of the muscles in your face and mouth. Developing oral motor skills is of vital importance for children, for without them many basic day-to-day functions become impaired.

Identification

• Several parts of your body are responsible for your oral motor skills, including your jaw, cheeks, soft palette and tongue. Each movement you make with these parts of your anatomy can be considered oral motor skills.

Effects

• Oral motor skills are needed to suck, swallow and chew as well as to keep your mouth closed at night to prevent drooling. Your oral motor abilities also affect the clarity of your speech.

Time Frame

• Babies begin to develop oral motor skills while still in the womb, with sucking ability beginning around the third month of gestation. Chewing typically begins around a baby's eighth month.

Features

• Children with oral motor developmental delays often are finicky eaters. Drooling, gagging and teeth grinding are additional symptoms.

Solution

• Occupational and speech therapy often helps children and adults with poor oral motor skills.