Aside from eating solids and learning how to self-feed, drinking skills is another important component of oral motor development that typically begins during the first year of life. The big questions are: when is the right time to introduce cup drinking and what type of cup should be introduced?
Children should have developing oral motor skills to start managing open cups or straw cups by 6 to 9 months old. This can be done with an adult holding the cup to their lips, and gradually allowing the child to hold the cup on their own. The goal in the 6-12-month age range is to practice the skills of cup drinking—not to yet replace the breast or bottle.
Cup drinking is beneficial to oral motor development because it teaches children lip and jaw stability, engages tongue movement for liquid control and management, and teaches children how to control liquid flow using his or her lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw.
From a sensory standpoint, cup drinking also helps children with the body awareness of his or her mouth and face by learning how to bring the cup towards the mouth and placing the cup onto the bottom lip. Presenting a variety of liquids would also engage the lips, tongue, and taste buds to different sensations such as temperatures, flavors, and liquid thickness (ex: milk versus a smoothie).
Types of cups can be split into three main categories: open cup, sippy cup, and straw cup.
- Open cups encourage the use of every part of the mouth and can strengthen mouth muscles.
- Straw cups are another good option for oral development and cheek muscle strengthening. Sucking through a straw is done with the same muscles needed for food manipulation while eating and for more speech sounds.
- Sippy cups are meant for babies and toddlers, providing convenience as they are typically spill proof. However, sippy cups do not support mature swallowing and may hinder oral development if it affects tongue movement, tongue positioning while drinking, and/or tongue thrust.
For more information, please check out the following references:
Holt International. Feeding and Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working with Babies and Children. https://www.holtinternational.org/about/child-nutrition/feeding-and-positioning-manual/pdfs/part-1/chapter-1-section-7-cup-drinking-basics.pdf
Grenawitzke, Kimberly OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT and Rappaport, Kary OTR/L, MS, SCFES, IBCLC. Cup Drinking. https://solidstarts.com/starting-solids/cup-drinking/
Grogan, Alison MOT, OTR/L. How to Teach Your Baby to Drink From a Straw. https://yourkidstable.com/how-to-teach-your-baby-or-toddler-to/
