12/08/2025
🤔 Have you used the Side Biter therapeutic chewing-swallowing tools? Do you know how to use them?
We know that 🍪🍊🥦Flavorful foods are the BEST tools we have in feeding and swallowing therapy! However, there are some clients that we have that may need a “bridge tool” to help to stimulate the development safe sensory motor sucking, biting, chewing and swallowing skills needed to progress to eating solid foods.
🤔Be aware that there are gum line feeders and
there are chewing and swallowing exercise tools.
🤗There is a BIG DIFFERENCE.
GUMLINE feeders are designed for babies 6 to 9 months old, (please read the instructions that come with gumline feeders) who are utilizing their tongue gums, and lips to extract foods from the feeders soft silicone or mesh feeders. They will tear easily when the child has teeth.
👉 Chewing and swallowing exercise tools, such as the Side Biter and the Mini Biter tools are designed for skilled professional feeding and Dysphagia therapy and can be used with professional supervision for babies & children with or without teeth and adults who have teeth.
These tools can promote tasting, sucking, biting, chewing and swallowing with flavorful foods inside the tools. The linear shape assists in jaw stability, tongue and lip agility and gradual swallowing so that the person can learn to eat food safely.
They are NOT FEEDERS.
👉All 5 of the Side Biter tools (GNOSH, Inc) are patented and manufactured in the USA.
They are dishwasher safe and can be frozen. See SideBiter.com for demos
👉As with all oral motor and swallowing techniques and tools, a complete Dysphagia evaluation is required prior to professional use.
