Are you looking for a well-rounded set ofZ-Vibe® tips for your oral motor therapy exercises?
TheTip Kit is a collection of 10 versatile Z-Vibe tips that can be used to work on a variety of oral motor therapy goals from lip closure to biting and chewing to jaw grading to tongue lateralization and more. This article breaks down the kit to explore what makes each tip a great choice.
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Tips included in this kit:
- Probe Tip
- Preefer Tip
- Fine Tip
- Button Tip (single, #3)
- Spoon Tip (small/smooth)
- Tongue Depressor Tip (smooth)
- Bite-n-Chew Tip (thicker/smooth)
- Bite-n-Chew Tip (skinny/textured)
- Brush Tip (soft)
- Y Tip (middle level)
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TheZ-Vibe is sold either separately (in case you already have a Z-Vibe) or as an optional-add on if you need one.
What is the Z-Vibe? The Z-Vibe is a vibrating oral sensory device that can be used to improve a variety of speech and feeding skills. It's an all-in-one device that can be used to provide a new level sensory information and tactile input. Over 35 different tip attachments can be used with the same handle - just swap out one tip for another to switch goals. To learn more about the Z-Vibe and why vibration is helpful,click here.
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1. Probe Tip
TheProbe Tip is one of our most versatile Z-Vibe tips. The three different textures–smooth, striated, and bumpy–allow you to provide a variety of different sensory input.
If someone is orally sensitive, start by providing input with the smooth side first, then eventually progressing to the striated side which provides a little more input, then eventually over time to the bumpy side which provides the most intense texture.
This is a great tip for oral motor work and sensory stimulation. Use it as a warm-up to provide sensory input before working on other therapy goals, or as an all-around general tip for Z-Vibe exercises.
Did you know: the Probe Tip was the very first tip attachment for the Z-Vibe, and it’s still a favorite today!
2. Preefer Tip
ThePreefer Tip is a cylindrical shape with long ridges along the tip’s circumference. This allows for a “rolling” motion. Roll the Preefer Tip inside the cheeks, over the lips, along the tongue for sensory input.
This tip is another option for an oral motor massage before therapy to “wake up” the muscles inside the mouth for those who are hyposensitive, or as a way to desensitize the mouth for hypersensitive individuals.
Insider info: the Preefer Tip was inspired by and named after one of Debbie’s speech friends from grad school!
3. Fine Tip
TheFine Tip is perfect for any exercise that calls for isolating a specific spot inside or outside of the mouth. This is a great tip for tongue elevation, lateralization, or general tongue coordination. For example, you can place the point of the Fine Tip just on the alveolar ridge to instruct an individual to raise their tongue to “spot”. Place the Fine Tip on the corner of the mouth to instruct tongue lateralization. Basically, anywhere you’d like to point, use the Fine Tip!
One of our favorite exercises for the Fine Tip: place a cheerio over the end of the tip before you place it on “spot” for a tasty incentive for the tongue to elevate.
4. Button Tip (single, #3)
Button Tip #3 is the second largest button in our Button Tip series. It’s a size down from the true “beginner” largest button, and is a modern solution to the classic “button pull” speech therapy exercise.
For lip closure, instruct the individual to smile with their teeth together, and then place the button in FRONT of the teeth. Instruct them to close their lips around the button and hold it in while you tug at the button gently for resistance.
Bonus tip: Repeat the exercise above all the way to the corners of the lips on both sides, because we want lip closure all the way to the corners (not just in the center of the mouth).
5. Spoon Tip (small/smooth)
Adding vibration to your mealtime feeding strategies can be a great way to provide extra stimulation to the tongue lips, cheeks, and jaw. TheSpoon Tip can also help wake up the mouth, or provide some desensitization to help tolerance of new food textures.
The Spoon Tip is designed to have a “just-right” bowl shape and size to hold an appropriate amount of food–not too much or too little.
The Spoon Tip is also available in a textured version that has bumps for added input, as well as a flat version for individuals who have limited lip control.
6. Tongue Depressor Tip (smooth)
A classic tongue depressor shape with the added benefit of vibration! Use theTongue Depressor Tip just as you would a normal tongue depressor.
You can also use it to assist the tongue side-to-side for tongue elevation, assist the tongue up for elevation, or press down on the front of the tongue to isolate it for back-of-tongue elevation. For lip closure: hold the Tongue Depressor Tip in front of the mouth and encourage the individual to close their lips on the tip (without using the teeth to assist).
Bonus: this is one of the largest tips, so it can provide input to a large surface area of the tongue at once.
Also available in a textured version.
7. Bite-n-Chew Tip (thicker/smooth)
The smoothBite-n-Chew Tip is great for beginning practice with biting and chewing, sustained bite, and improving jaw strength and stability. It’s a bit thicker than its textured counterpart, which provides a more challenging workout for the jaw.
You can also use this tip to stabilize the jaw to isolate the tongue for specific exercises liketongue pops.
8. Bite-n-Chew Tip (skinny/textured)
Similar to the version above, thisBite-n-Chew Tip is also designed for practice biting and chewing, sustained bite, and jaw strength and stability. This tip is a bit thinner than the other Bite-n-Chew Tip mentioned above, which makes it easier to reach the back molars. The bumpy texture provides additional sensory input.
9. Brush Tip (soft)
If you’re working with an individual who is hypersensitive to new textures in the mouth, theBrush Tip is a great option for massage to help desensitize the mouth in preparation for therapy exercises, or to help tolerate a wider variety of foods. Run the soft Brush Tip along the gums, along the inside of the cheeks, the tongue and the lips to introduce vibration and a new sensory experience to the mouth.
10. Y Tip (middle level)
TheY-Tip Bite Block is designed to aid exercises for jaw grading and stability, and lip closure. The two arms of the Magenta Y-Tip are .3” and .4” thick. Bite down on the arms for jaw grading and stability practice, or use the “y” shape to push up on the bottom lip to aid in lip closure.
The Y Tip is also available in a thinner and thinner version. Together these various thicknesses are excellent for working on jaw grading and stability.
And that rounds out our breakdown of theZ-Vibe Tip Kit–with tips for speech therapy, feeding therapy, and sensory oral motor exercises, this kit is a great option to start a collection, or expand one! We hope this breakdown is helpful in learning more about the tips selected to be a part of this kit, and why we think they work great as a set. As always, if you have any questions about the Z-Vibe or Z-Vibe Tips, please feel free to reach out to our customer service team; we’re always here to help!
