-BEFORE reviewing these notes on the tongue, chew an animal cracker normally and look at the tongue, noting what it is doing, how it is moving, etc...

-Now repeat this exercise and pretend that your tongue does not work right, maybe does not move up and down or side to side or just lies there.

-WHAT HAPPENED?

-Problems: Swallow food whole or with little breakdown

Food may get caught in sides of mouth and can’t be retrieved

Food may get pushed out of the front of the mouth (lose nutrients)

-Now review notes on tongue from slide. These important things that the tongue must do translate into goals that therapists work on to improve nutrition and swallowing: increase strength, range of motion, stamina to maintain function throughout a meal, increase ability to clear oral cavity, and decrease loss of food and nutrients