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TOFeet on a stool might look like a small adjustment — but neurologically and biomechanically, it’s a big deal.
The body develops and stabilizes from the ground up. When a child’s feet are supported, the nervous system senses stability through proprioceptive input at the feet and ankles. That input helps activate postural muscles, organize the core, and create a stable base for fine motor control.
And the tongue? It’s fine motor.
When feet are dangling, we often see:
• Core disengagement
• Increased fidgeting or body shifting
• Jaw instability
• Tongue pushing for stability
• Reduced breath support
• Decreased endurance
In oral myofunctional therapy, feeding therapy, and articulation therapy, we’re asking for precision — accurate tongue placement, coordinated chewing, controlled airflow, efficient swallowing. Precision requires proximal stability.
Grounded feet → stable pelvis → supported trunk → organized jaw → more efficient tongue function.
If a child’s feet don’t reach the floor, add a stool, box, or firm surface under them. The difference in body organization (and sound clarity, chewing coordination, or tongue control) can be immediate.
We don’t just treat the mouth. We support the whole system.
#oralmyofunctionaltherapy #feedingtherapy #speechtherapy #pediatrictherapy #myofunctionaltherapy
@tonguetoolbox
