Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is a type of speech therapy which applies a combination of auditory, visual and tactile stimulation to the mouth to improve speech sound production and clarity. It is an integrated approach which evaluates sensory, feeding, oral placement and speech functioning. OPT mimics speech movement – all exercises are given with the intent of transitioning into functional speech goals.
OPT is used to improve oral awareness, placement, stability and muscle memory – all of which are necessary for the production of speech sounds and clear articulation of speech. In particular, there is a focus on the correct oral placement of the jaw, tongue and lips to accomplish optimal oral placement needed for each sound, as well as strength in the abdomen for extended and controlled airflow for longer speech.
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