-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