Question
I have a 2 yr 3 month old girl that I have been treating since October. She was initially not making any sounds; could not imitate any sounds, words, or oral movements. She has recently begun to use some sounds and approximations, but often her jaw sha
Answer
Yes, and I am just sorry that the test does not have data down to 2 years of age. If you are seeing some shaking as the child is attempting movements, to me that is a real indication that something is going on with muscle tone. She doesn't have the strength to achieve the positions. It is also an indication that there is poor gradation of movement. For example, when you watch a baby reach for something he doesn't reach directly for it. His arm kind of weaves up and down, left and right a little bit. In other words, he is still learning how to grade his movements. So, I think what you have here is a two year old who is still learning how to grade her movements and perhaps she has a little low tone that is contributing toward it. But keep moving forward. Don't assume that she has a motor speech disorder, she may be a little on the weaker side and she may catch up just fine, especially if you see some progress. But, yes, I would do this test w/ a 2 year old to get an overview of her oral motor skills.
This Ask the Expert was taken from the course entitled: Administration of the Marshalla Oral Sensorimotor Test (MOST)
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Pam Marshalla, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with over thirty years of experience working with children of all ages and ability levels. She is the author of eight highly practical books related to speech-language therapy with children. She has spoken at hundreds of continuing education programs in the U.S. and Canada on articulation and motor speech disorders.