Why do people with Down syndrome chew on their tongue?

Why do people with Down syndrome chew on their tongue?

Many children with Down syndrome have hypersensitive (tactile defensive) or hyposensitive reactions to touch around the mouth. Learning to speak requires sensory feedback from the oral area, so difficulty with sensory feedback affects learning to speak.

How does Down syndrome affect the tongue?

People with Down syndrome may have large tongues or they may have an average size tongue and a small upper jaw that makes their tongue too large for their mouth. It is also common for people with Down syndrome to have grooves and fissures on their tongues.

What are the oral manifestations of Down syndrome?

The most common orofacial findings in DS include mouth breathing, open bite, relatively enlarged and protruding tongue, drooling, fissured tongue, malocclusion, low level of dental caries and poor oral hygiene (1,2,4-6).

What are the early signs of Down syndrome in babies?

At birth, babies with Down syndrome usually have certain characteristic signs, including:

• flat facial features.
• small head and ears.
• short neck.
• bulging tongue.
• eyes that slant upward.
• atypically shaped ears.
• poor muscle tone.

Why do Down syndrome children stick out their tongue?

Some babies have decreased muscle tone. Since the tongue is a muscle, and is controlled by other muscles in the mouth, decreased muscle tone can cause the tongue to stick out more than usual. Several conditions may cause decreased muscle tone, such as Down syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Do Down syndrome babies always have their tongue out?

It is important to talk, sing, smile and make faces at your baby to encourage this development. Young babies often stick out their tongues and babies with Down’s syndrome seem to do so more.

Is Macroglossia common in Down syndrome?

Macroglossia is uncommon. Generalized macroglossia, as seen in association with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, with glycogen storage diseases (Hunter and Hurler syndromes) or hypothyroidism, is rare. Relative macroglossia can be seen normally on occasion but is most common in Down syndrome.

How soon can you tell if your baby has Down syndrome?

Diagnostic tests that can identify Down syndrome include: Chorionic villus sampling (CVS). In CVS, cells are taken from the placenta and used to analyze the fetal chromosomes. This test is typically performed in the first trimester, between 10 and 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Do autistic babies stick their tongue out?

Up to 2 years a child with ASD can continue to show symptoms from infancy and possibly: Focus only on certain interests. Be unable to have reciprocal social interactions. Move in unusual ways, such as tilting their head, flexing their fingers or hands, opening their mouth or sticking out their tongue.

How do I stop my baby’s tongue thrust?

Place the food at the side of their mouth. When your baby feels touch to the side of their gums where their molars will develop, their tongue will automatically move to the side of their mouth. This will stop their tongue protruding forward and will facilitate lateral tongue movement, which is required for chewing.

Can a child with Down syndrome have low oral tone?

Children who have Down syndrome are often born with low oral muscle tone, and so you may in turn see difficulties with speech and feeding. Low oral tone can also contribute to drooling, weak suck, tongue protrusion, etc. • There are many ways you can work proactively here.

Why do children with Down syndrome have an open mouth?

• Sinus congestion will work against you here, as children who have Down syndrome often have upper respiratory problems. If you can’t breathe out of your nose, you’re forced to have an open-mouth posture, which encourages the tongue to fall forward.

Can a person with Down syndrome have a large tongue?

LARGE TONGUES. People with Down syndrome may have large tongues or they may have an average size tongue and a small upper jaw that makes their tongue too large for their mouth. It is also common for people with Down syndrome to have grooves and fissures on their tongues.

How to help a child with Down syndrome Chew?

• Encourage mouthing/chewing on teethers and chew tools to introduce new sensations in the mouth. As early as 4-6 months, you can give her a Baby Grabber or Baby Guitar to chew on – these have an extension that will provide input to the back of her gums.