"What an informative book! Whether you are searching for everyday activities you can
use to encourage your child's feeding, speech, and mouth development, or you are interested in exploring the mechanics of these skills, this is great resource, filled with nuggets for parents and professionals."

Dr. Debra Jervay-Pendergrass, Linguist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Early Language-Literacy Consultant, and Director of the "First Stories" Project 

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: LET’S LEARN ABOUT YOUR NEWBORN BABY’S MOUTH

• Differences between Your Mouth and Your Newborn Baby’s Mouth
• Your Newborn Baby’s Mouth Reflexes

CHAPTER 2: SECRETS FOR BETTER BREAST- AND BOTTLE-FEEDING

• Important Mouth Characteristics for Feeding
• The Best Positioning for Feeding and Why
• What Breast-Feeding Can Do for Your Baby’s Mouth That Bottle-Feeding Cannot
• Nursing/Breast-Feeding
• Bottle-Feeding
• What to Do If Your Baby Has Difficulty Maintaining a Latch
• What to Do If Liquid Is Flowing Too Fast or Too Slowly
• Subtle Difficulties That Can Affect Feeding and What to Do about Them
• Nutrition
• Hydration
• Feeding Development: One to 6 Months of Age

CHAPTER 3: BREATHING THROUGH THE NOSE, BELLY TIME, ALLERGIES, SPIT-UP, SIDS, AND VACCINES

• The Importance of Breathing through the Nose for Health
• The Importance of Belly Time When Your Baby Is Awake
• Health Problems and Possible Treatments
• Let’s Talk about Allergies
• Reflux, SIDS, and Sleeping on the Back
• What about Vaccines?

CHAPTER 4: THE HAND-MOUTH CONNECTION: HELPING YOUR BABY HAVE MOUTHING EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE GOOD DEVELOPMENT

• The Hand-Mouth Connection
• The Importance of Good Mouthing Experiences
• Appropriate Pacifier Use and Thumb- and/or Finger-Sucking
• Teething and Drooling
• What to Do about Too Much Drooling

CHAPTER 5: MASSAGE, “JAWS-ERCISE,” TOOTH-GRINDING, BUBBLES, AND HORNS

• Face, Jaw, and Mouth Massage and “Jaws-ercise”
• Mouth Toys and More “Jaws-ercise”
• What to Do about Tooth-Grinding
• Horn and Bubble Play

CHAPTER 6: SECRETS FOR BETTER SPOON-FEEDING, DRINKING FROM A CUP AND STRAW, AND CHEWING: BEGINNING AROUND 5-6 MONTHS OF AGE

• Positioning Your Baby for Higher-Level Feeding Activities
• Jaw Support
• Spoon-Feeding
• Drinking from a Cup
• Drinking from a Straw
• Taking Bites and Chewing Safe, Appropriate Foods
• Introducing Foods and Liquids
• How Much Do I Feed My Child?
• Weaning from the Bottle and Breast
• Feeding Problems and Picky Eating
• Feeding Development from 5 to 24 Months of Age

CHAPTER 7: THE SECRETS TO GOOD SPEECH DEVELOPMENT

• Tips to Encourage Good Vocal Development from Birth
• Speech Sound Development from 1 Month of Age to 8 Years
• Essentials for Intelligible Speech Production and Communication
• Speech and Communication Development Up to 3 Years of Age
• What to Do If Your Child Is Not on Track with Speech and Communication Development
• A Combination of Specific Treatment Ideas for Young Children with Speech and Communication Problems

CHAPTER 8: YOUR CHILD’S BEST NATURAL APPEARANCE

• What Your Child’s Face and Mouth Should Look Like
• Treatments Offered by Dental and Other Professionals
• Face, Mouth, and Vocal Development through Adolescence and Early Adulthood

CHAPTER 9: WORKING WITH PROFESSIONALS

·         Suggestions for Finding and Working with an Appropriate Professional

·         Your Child’s Lactation Consultant, Pediatrician, and Other Medical Professionals

·         Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

·         Occupational Therapists

·         Other Professionals You and Your Child May Need or Encounter

·         Teams

CHAPTER 10: HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO MY CHILD WITH PARTICULAR SPECIAL NEEDS?

• Children Born Prematurely
• Children with Down Syndrome
• Children with Autism
• Children with Cerebral Palsy
• Children with Hearing Loss
• Other Children with Developmental Delay

APPENDIX A: RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND CARE PROVIDERS

• Articles, Books, Materials, and DVDs
• Web Sites

APPENDIX B: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR PROFESSIONALS