Cups?

[mom2jace]

What kind of cups are your kiddos drinking out of? I'm having problems with Jace (18-months-old) stealing his sister's sippy cups. He doesn't want me to hold his cup for him but he is not able to open cup drink by himself. I need some type of cup that he can drink out of on his own but I've heard too many negative things about regular "sippy cups" for our kids.

His ST wants him just to stick to open cup drinking but that is just not practical because we do alot of road trips and ........I don't want to squash his independent streak.

Thanks in advance,
Rhonda

[Kristen]

Try the Rubbermaid straw cups. Both Carter adn Sydney drink out of them. Not as spill proof as a sippy, but it does very well IMO and not as detrimental to speech (also IMO!)

[Jenn]

Courtney drank out of a regular old sippy cup and is doing just fine!
Courtney doesn't have any problem with her tongue protruding or severe speech problems. She is a little delayed, but I would say her speech is better than the average kid with ds. As a matter of fact...I see her tongue wrap around straws and I have to remind her to put it back in her mouth. She just smiles and sucks it back in.
Its your choice...If he does fine with it...then I would let him have it...Thats my opinion and alot of therapists would argue with that, but alot would agree.
Good Luck!
Jenn

[momofrussell]

As for the straw kind like the rubbermaid, First Years (I think) makes a disposable type plastic straw cup. It comes in a four pack and it's for traveling. It's not 100% spill proof, but the way the straw goes in, it is TIGHT in there and can handle road trips. They also make a regular sippy too for traveling. You can find them at Walmart, Kmart, Target, Babies R Us, ect...

As for sippy's in general... we STILL use them. We had to decrease the flow so open cups never worked. Russell has reflux and did pretty bad for years. The quicker it went it, the more it went out. Russell has a very strong toungue thrust but some kids just do more than others. I use the Gerber ones that have the little straw type spout tip.. but it still has a stopper on thye back. I like those the best and figure it's as close to a straw for when I am not watching him closely. Russell can DO a straw in a juice box, but that isn't practical for anything short of me giving it to him and holding it. He'd dump it. Russell has a hard time with an open cup even if I do hold it because Russell is still not using his toungue properly. So, when he drinks from an open cup, his toungue goes in first. We try and try but that d**n toungue is FAST! LOL We are still trying to teach him not to wrap it around the straw either...

ST's and OT's and whoever ALWAYS say don't use them.. but THEY don't have to wipe up the mess either! My 3 yr old does really good with an open cup and SHE still uses sipppy's depending on the situation because Russell may get her cup. So we have to be careful. So we use sippy's lots!

I gave up on eating and drinking issues long ago because we had other issues that for me were bigger and needed more attention. I know eating and drinking properly helps promote better speech but I had to let go of the eating and drinking for now.

Also, I was told by our PT that if you use a sippy , you can use it without the stopper so they don't SUCK as much .. it is better for them that way too. That might work more at home then on a trip because it might leak.

Do what you need to do for you and you kids! Or give the ST a washcloth to help you wipe up the mess LOL!

A.

[ashleysmom]

we use sippy cups and straw cups for Ashley. The PT says that fine.

[MaggiesMom]

we use clear open cups that I buy from Walmart. 2 in a set for $1.00 Easy to see the liquid moving and know when it's coming out.

The cups we use for traveling etc. are the First Years disposables from Toys R Us. They are pretty spill proof. It takes a lot of shaking and tipping to get anything out. Trust me, Maggie's tried it all!

We gave up sippy's for speech/oral motor issues 2 weeks ago. Other than the little fuss I got the 1st day, there hasn't been a protest since.

On the other hand, I have whinned several times about having to be more delegent about watching her drink to keep the mess managable.

Good luck!

Robin M - Maggie's mom

[justinsmom]

We use the sippys' also, his ST said she didn't see a problem with it as long as we watched the tongue for any problems such as the thrusting and such. We have been working on the open cup but like someone else has mentioned it's not that he can't or won't our main problem is he doesn't know when to come up, the choking and gasping is scarry, his eyes get huge, he starts shaking, we have to keep telling him it's ok to settle down. We have the same problem with swimming he doesn't know enough to close his mouth before his face hits the water and when he does he breathes in all that water. But we are getting better.

[PaigesMom]

We use the Playtex STRAW cups. The straws are replaceable when they crack, etc. Paige still drinks out of it most of the time, although she can use a small open cup while standing still or sitting down, but not walking.

Our OT/Feeding therapist and Speech therapist also told us Sippy are no good b/c of tounge protrusion, and in our case that was an issue. Also they say sucking out of a straw increases musle tone in the mouth, so that's what we went with.

But anyways, I've found the Playtex Insulator to be the best.

Debbie

[gwen]

Mommy has to stay sane. Use what works and keeps the clean.

Instead of worrying about what NOT to use. Find some things TO use. Here's my favorite: popsicles and anything frozen. It makes the muscles work more.