Tongue thrust reflex – When the lips are touched, the infants tongue extends out of the mouth. This reflex allows for feeding from the breast or bottle but not from a spoon or cup. This reflex is one reason for delaying the introduction of complementary foods until 4 to 6 months of age.
One may also ask, how do I get rid of my baby tongue thrust reflex? The tongue thrust reflex has disappeared. Try this test: Place a tiny bit of baby-appropriate food thinned with breast milk or formula in your babys mouth from the tip of a baby spoon or your finger.
Then, how do you stop tongue thrusting?
For fixing this bad habit, we recommend this following exercise:
First, place a small orthodontic rubber band on the tip of your tongue.
Press the tip of your tongue against the gum in the roof of your mouth thats right behind your upper front teeth.
Bite your teeth together in your regular bite; dont bite forward.
When should tongue thrust disappear?
As children grow, this movement, known as tongue thrusting, should decrease and eventually disappear. Past the age of 5 or 6, tongue thrusting is the abnormal habit of placing the tongue between the teeth before and during the act of swallowing.
