ARK Therapeutic Services, Inc. Makers of Innovative Speech, Feeding, & Sensory Tools www.ARKTherapeutic.com [email protected] meet the family Debbie, John, Evan, & Rebecca Welcome to our family company! As an SLP (speech-language pathologist), I often need to get into the mouth - to provide tactile cues for certain speech sounds, to work on tongue lateralization for feeding skills, etc. Back in 2000, however, there were very few tools available for oral motor therapy, let alone for these very specific goals. Luckily for me, I married an engineer! So my wonderful problem-solving husband John and I joined forces to create ARK Therapeutic. Our mission has always been to create solutions that will make life easier for you and your loved ones. Our first product was ARK’s Probe for oral motor input and sensory stimulation. This tool allowed me to safely get into the mouth, direct the articulators, de-sensitize, and more. But for some of my kids it wasn’t enough - they needed more input. So one day while observing me rapidly tapping a child’s tongue with the Probe trying to add extra stimulation, John said, “What if we make it vibrate?” To make a long story short, that was the beginning of what would later become ARK’s Z-Vibe®. Fast forward 15 years, and we’ve since developed over 85 different products for speech & oral motor development, sensory integration, oral defensiveness, texture aversions, fine motor, drinking, feeding, chewing, and more. Each ARK product was created for the 2 ARKTherapeutic.com same reasons as above - we either saw a need within my own practice, or a therapist/ parent would share a problem and ask us to create a solution. Every ARK product is also designed, manufactured, and assembled in the USA. Made in the USA means that for every $1 of ARK products sold, almost $1.50 goes back into the US economy. It also means that your support is creating not just jobs, but jobs with fair wages, benefits, and a safe and happy environment. And particularly since these are oral products to be used in the mouth, we knew made in the USA was the best option to ensure product safety. They’re medical grade, FDA compliant, CE Approved, and free from BPA, PVC, lead, phthalates, and latex. ARK has been a labor of love for my husband and I as well as our two kids, who have grown up with ARK and are now the second generation of our family business. We feel truly honored and humbled that our products have helped so many people. It’s more than we ever imagined! Please know that more than just selling products, we want to be a resource for you, which is why we have put together a comprehensive blog where I share what’s worked for my therapy kids over the past 35+ years. The how-to articles and videos are there to help you reach your goals, both with and without our products. We look forward to many milestones with you in the future! If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. Hugs and all my best, ARK Therapeutic 703 Clemson Road Columbia, SC 29229 [email protected] Debbie Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP www.ARKTherapeutic.com ARKTherapeutic.com 3 ark’s ® Grabber “Chews” your own sensory experience ARK’s Grabber was one of our very first inventions! 15 years ago, one of Debbie’s therapy kids was chewing through several shirts a day, and his mother was struggling to find a safer (and less expensive) alternative for him to chew on. To meet this oral sensory need, we developed ARK’s Grabber® - an innovative oral motor chew tool. Designed for all ages and abilities, the Grabber® exercises the lips, tongue, cheeks, and especially the jaw, allowing the mouth to learn and grow strong through oral exploration. Use it: • As an oral fidget for those with the oral sensory need to chew • As a safe alternative to chewing on hands, knuckles, shirts, pencils, etc. • As an alternative to tooth-grinding and/or thumb-sucking • To help decrease oral defensiveness and food aversions • To practice biting/chewing skills without the risk of choking • To satisfy the urge to chew for individuals who are fed through a g-tube Highly recommended for individuals with feeding / oral motor delays who need to de- sensitize and/or improve oral motor skills. And also recommended for sensory seekers and individuals with Autism who crave oral stimulation & proprioceptive input. “ Our son has a deep need for oral sensory input. Grabbers are the only chewies we’ve found that my son will use without resorting to chewing on his clothes, fingers, etc. They seem to be just the right feel for him (not too hard, not too soft, and he’s able to get them all the way back to his molars) and as such are his go-to chewies “ **New Grabber colors coming soon! Check online 4 ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-grabbers Patented P shape design features a built-in loop that’s easy to hold AND a long extension to reach the back molars The original P-shaped XT (“Xtra Tough”) and chew tool - soft, chewy, infused with a favorite & resilient grape scent XT (“Xtra Tough”) - firmer XT (“Xtra Tough”) and than the original Grabber, infused with an alerting but still chewy and resilient lemon scent XT (“Xtra Tough”) and XXT (“Xtra Xtra Tough”) - infused with a calming very firm, yet still chewable vanilla scent Soft and chewy with a XT (“Xtra Tough”) and shorter stem for babies infused with a yummy & toddlers chocolate scent 3 different toughness levels: The original (magenta) Grabber is very soft and super chewy - perfect for those with limited jaw strength OR those with a very mild oral sensory need to chew. The XT (“Xtra Tough”) options are firmer, yet still chewy. They provide more resistance and input to the jaw as you chew. Recommended for moderate chewing. The XXT (“Xtra Xtra Tough”) options are very firm, yet still chewable - recommended for avid chewing OR for those who like to chew on very firm items. ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-grabbers 5 ark’s A winning textured combination of tactile ® Grabber input ARK’s Textured Grabber® is very similar to the standard Grabber®, but with 3 different surfaces to chew on: one smooth, one with circular bumps, and one with rectangular bumps. Like all of our chews, it’s medical grade, non-toxic, FDA compliant, CE approved, dishwasher-safe, free from BPA, PVC, lead, phthalates, and latex, and best of all - made in the USA! Use it to: • Simulate the feel (and/or smell with the scented options) of actual food for realistic non-food chewing practice • Provide extra tactile sensation to the lips, cheeks, gums, & tongue for sensory seekers • De-sensitize the mouth, work on texture aversions, and “wake up” the mouth • Transition individuals with sensory issues from Resource guide of oral puréed to textured foods. motor exercise ideas for the Grabber Tips & Techniques for the Grabber® Family Written by our very own Debbie Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP, this book is a quick and easy reference guide explaining how, when, and where to use the entire Grabber® Family. Chapter topics include: how to increase lip & tongue control, how to increase tongue mobility and lateralization, how to increase jaw stability and control, how to establish the concept of biting/chewing, how to promote a rhythmic chewing pattern, and much more. Most of the exercises in this book can also be done with the Y-Chew® as well. 6 ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-grabbers Surfaces of no bumps, round bumps, and square bumps for a variety of sensory & proprioceptive feedback Tip: For individuals with low oral tone or jaw weakness, start with the original Soft, chewy, resilient, magenta Grabbers, then progress to the and textured green XTs and eventually (if necessary) to the blue XXT. This hierarchy will help gradually exercise the mouth muscles over time, as each level is harder to chew. For individuals with sensory issues and/or food Soft, chewy, textured, aversions, start with the regular smooth & infused with a berry Grabbers and progress to the Textured scent Grabbers to help them learn to tolerate new textures. Textured XT (“Xtra Tough”) - firmer than the Grabbers above, but still chewy Textured XT (“Xtra Tough”) - firm yet chewy, infused with a mild citrus scent XXT (“Xtra Xtra Tough”) - very firm, yet still chewable ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-grabbers 7 ark’s ® y-chew Chew, chew, chew! A cousin to ARK’s Grabber®, the Y-Chew® is an oral motor chew tool that packs a variety of benefits. Use it to encourage mouthing & oral exploration, to decrease oral sensitivities, to reduce teeth grinding, to develop biting & chewing skills, to work on oral motor skills, to provide a safe chewing outlet for sensory seekers, and much more. Its features include: • 3 different extensions to chew on • 3 textures built-in (smooth, ribbed, and bumpy) • 3 different toughness levels • Extensions that are long enough to reach the back molars where chewing is needed the most • Different widths/heights to work on jaw grading • Medical grade & made in the USA Highly recommended as a oral motor / feeding therapy staple to practice oral skills without the risk of choking. And also highly recommended for individuals with Autism and/or sensory issues with an oral sensory need to chew. Yellow and Light Blue are Soft - for those with limited jaw strength OR those with a very mild oral sensory need to chew Orange and Turquoise are XT (“Xtra Tough”) but still very chewy - recommended for moderate chewing. A good “middle of the road” choice Red and Royal Blue are XXT (“Xtra Xtra Tough”) - recommended for avid chewing OR for those who like to chew on very firm items 8 ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-y-chews *With three different extensions to chew on, the “Xtra Xtra Tough” Y-Chew XXTs (royal blue & red) are the longest lasting chews for the most Chew, chew, chew! avid chewers Bumps on one arm and ribs on the other for varied tactile input “ The Y-Chew is great for working with little ones on munching and development of the rotary chew. I love the pliable material it is made of and the varied textures. It’s so versatile with three different sides to choose from, and the long portion of the Y makes a great handle for the therapist. Fits perfectly in the hands of little ones as well to provide independent oral stimulation in an appropriate manner. My favorite “chew tool” so far! “ ARKTherapeutic.com/ark-y-chews 9 ark’s ™ krypto-bite Chewable Gem Necklace ARK’s Krypto-Bite™ provides a safe, wearable, and discreet solution for kids and adults who need to chew. For boys, it’s cool-factor Krypto-Bite™. For girls, it’s a stylish gem pendant. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit! Use this “chewelry” as an oral fidget (or even hand fidget) to help calm, soothe, and self- regulate during times of stress, to better focus during homework and other activities, and/or as a safe alternative to chewing on shirts, pencils, etc. They come in three different toughness levels to best accommodate a range of sensory needs: Red and Magenta are Soft - for those with limited jaw strength OR those with a very mild oral sensory need to chew Teal and Green are XT (“Xtra Tough”) but still very chewy - recommended for moderate chewing. A good “middle of the road” choice Lavender and Royal Blue are XXT (“Xtra Xtra Tough”) - recommended for avid chewing OR for those who like to chew on very firm items “ Us autistic adults don’t have quite enough sensory stimulation geared toward us that ” ‘look our age’, but your chew necklaces are totally changing the game in that category. “My little superman loves his Krypto-Bite! It’s a perfect oral stim product to take with you ” on the go. Thanks for making them sturdy AND non-stigmatizing! 10 ARKTherapeutic.com/chewelry