Oral Placement Therapy

Oral Placement Therapy

Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is an important addition to traditional speech treatment methods for clients with placement and movement deficits. It is a tactile-proprioceptive teaching technique. In other words, we need to be able to perceive the position and movement of our jaw, lips, and tongue as we speak.

Traditional therapy is primarily auditory and visual. Clients with motor and/or sensory impairments benefit from tactile and proprioceptive components. OPT is used to improve awareness, placement (dissociation, grading, and direction of movement), stability, and muscle memory; all of these are necessary for the development of speech clarity.