How to teach a 2 year old autistic boy to use a straw?
@A MyAutismTeam Member My son had trouble learning to drink from a straw around the same age until I talked to his OT. She used a squeezable bottle that sort of resembled a condiment bottle and put a straw like tube on it. She had him to sit in a normal position that you would drink out of a straw and put his mouth on the tube. She then squeezed it until some of the drink came up the tube and went into his mouth. After she squeezed it several times, we finally got the idea and began to suck the straw. It was like someone flipped a little switch..I was amazed because I had been trying all sorts of things to get him to drink out of a sippy cup with a straw.
You can modify a bottle something like this, which was similar to what she used:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Dispense-Bo...
or you can get something already setup like this: http://www.arktherapeutic.com/BB100AR.html (I am not affiliated with this company in any way, I saw this cup today when buying a chewy from them).
You might want to start with blowing into the straw (instead of sucking from it) so he can see all the bubbles come out and want to try it himself. I would think this might help lead to sucking, or it could completely backfire and you'll have only a bubble blower!
I am trying for my 2 yr old to use straw cup as well since his therapist thinks is better to help him with chewing and oral motor skills. Good luck
We started with an intro Gerber sippy cup and advanced the sippy cup. Walgreens used to have Sesame Street beginner little straw cups.
My daughter learned with the zoli cup. Once she learned with this cup, she was able to drink from a variety of straw cups