For the small children, the straw is made with threads that directly fit commercial smoothie packs.
The straw is placed between the lips and the teeth, but never past the teeth. Its special design makes it feel comfortable to grip with the lips. The tab is to be placed behind the lower lip, but in front of the lower teeth.
The tab pacifies the tongue, breaking the rigid smacking or gumming of a regular straw. The goal is to make the tongue pull further back in the mouth when the child drinks. The child will thus exercise the tongue muscles when pulling the tongue back. The rigid pattern the tongue has acquired over time, will change. The tongue will also remain inside the mouth more. (It can also be combined with the Letsip S-Series to also improve the closing of the mouth).
At times the tab can also point upwards, promoting upper lip activity.
The mouthpiece is never to be used to push the tongue in, as it's primary purpose is pacification.
OBS! Care and proper use is essential, so that the drink does not pass into the child's airways and discourage any progress, from accepting the new training tool in their mouth.
When a new pattern is established the child can gradually move towards a thinner textured fluid. Care and patience is important, so don't push the drink onto the child, but encourage the child, so that they accept the mouthpiece on their own.
Some children move rapidly from the nursing bottle by Letsip, to a cup or a regular straw. Others may need more frequent training to retain good sucking techniques and not revert back to old habits.
The use of the Letsip tab is not meant to replace the child's regular drinking apparatus, in the beginning stages. It is however, to be used as a way to offer an extra treat. If the child is willing to work hard to get the treat, then the process will be much easier.
Tip: A common trick is to hold a finger in front of the lower lip and press the lower lip towards the stopper. This way there will be no room for the tongue.
If the child rejects this way of drinking, then abort the attempt and try again at a later stage.
Children are very different, and if they don't want it, put it away until they are more cooperative. The ages between 1 and 3 are challenging, and sometimes it is better to wait than to turn a child off trying at a later stage altogether.
