ARK Cip-Kup™ One-Way Straw Drinking Cup

A one-way straw drinking system that keeps liquid at the top of the straw – reducing the suction effort needed to take the next sip.

ARK’s Cip-Kup™ is a specialised drinking system designed for individuals who are learning to drink through a straw or who have difficulty generating and maintaining enough suction to draw liquid up a standard straw.

The clever part is the one-way Select-Flow Valve.

With a regular straw, liquid falls back down between sips. The drinker then needs to generate enough suction to pull it all the way back up again.

With the Cip-Kup, liquid travels up the straw but doesn’t flow back down.

A parent, caregiver or therapist can gently squeeze the flexible bottle until the liquid reaches the top of the straw. Once released, the liquid remains there, ready for the next sip.

Less distance to travel. Less suction required.

Why we love it

It allows us to change the demands of straw drinking without taking the skill away altogether.

Straw drinking can be surprisingly difficult for someone who has trouble generating or sustaining suction.

The Cip-Kup gives us a way to provide assistance by bringing the liquid up the straw and keeping it there.

We also love that the system can be graded.

The Select-Flow Valve can be adjusted by an appropriately trained adult or therapist to change the flow, while the flexible bottle allows the amount of assistance provided to be varied.

That makes it more than simply a cup – it’s a useful tool for supported straw-drinking practice.

Great for

• Individuals learning to drink from a straw
• Those who have difficulty generating sufficient suction
• Individuals who have difficulty maintaining suction between sips
• Reducing the amount of suction required to access liquid
• Supported straw-drinking practice
• Gradually reducing assistance as straw-drinking skills develop
• Feeding and oral motor therapy
• Individuals who benefit from a one-way straw system
• Therapist-guided drinking programs

How the one-way straw works

With an ordinary straw, gravity pulls the liquid back into the cup after each sip.

That means the drinker has to repeatedly generate enough suction to move the liquid all the way from the cup to their mouth.

The Cip-Kup’s one-way valve helps prevent that liquid from travelling back down the straw.

Simply squeeze the flexible bottle until the liquid reaches the top of the straw, then release.

The liquid remains near the top, meaning the drinker doesn’t have to start from the bottom of the straw each time.

For someone with reduced suction strength or endurance, that can make a significant difference to the demands of the task.

A system you can adapt

The Cip-Kup includes several components that allow the drinking experience to be adjusted for the individual.

Flexible bottle
Gently squeeze the bottle to assist in bringing liquid up towards the mouth. The amount of assistance can be varied according to the individual’s needs.

Select-Flow Valve
Creates the one-way action that keeps liquid in the straw. The tapered end can be carefully trimmed to increase flow when clinically appropriate.

Lip Blok®
The included yellow Lip Blok helps discourage biting on the straw and helps limit how far the straw enters the mouth.

Reusable chewable straw
A more durable straw option is included alongside standard drinking straws.

Together, these components allow the system to be adapted rather than expecting every drinker to manage exactly the same set-up.

A feeding therapist’s note

One of the things I like most about the Cip-Kup is that I can grade how much help I’m providing.

For someone who can’t yet pull liquid all the way up a straw, I can squeeze the bottle and bring the liquid right to the top.

If they begin generating more suction themselves, I can provide less assistance.

The one-way valve also means that between sips, the liquid doesn’t simply disappear all the way back into the cup. The next sip starts with the liquid already waiting in the straw.

That’s very different from simply saying “try harder to suck”. We’re changing the demands of the task so the person has an opportunity to practise the skill at a level that’s appropriate for them.

Importantly, though, making liquid easier to access is not the same as making it safer to swallow.

If I’m working with someone who has dysphagia, aspiration or respiratory concerns, decisions about the cup, straw, flow rate and liquid consistency need to be made as part of their individual swallowing recommendations.

What’s included

Each Cip-Kup™ kit includes:

• 1 flexible drink bottle with twist-on cap
• 1 Select-Flow Valve
• 10 standard drinking straws
• 1 reusable, chewable durable straw
• 1 yellow Lip Blok®

Replacement straws are also available separately.

Product details

• One-way straw drinking system
• Liquid travels up the straw but is prevented from flowing back down
• Flexible bottle allows assisted delivery of liquid to the top of the straw
• Select-Flow Valve can be adjusted to increase flow when appropriate
• Approximately 300mL capacity
• Bottle measures approximately 6.5cm × 6.5cm × 13cm
• Dishwasher safe
• FDA compliant
• Free from lead, phthalates, PVC, BPA and latex
• Bottle made in Germany
• Other components made in the USA
• Not recommended for carbonated beverages

Liquids

The Cip-Kup is designed primarily for thin liquids, such as water, milk and juice without pulp.

It may also be used with some thickened liquids depending on the individual’s prescribed consistency and the configuration of the Select-Flow Valve.

Thicker liquids require greater suction effort and changes to the valve will alter how easily liquid flows through the system.

If thickened fluids have been recommended for swallowing safety, do not change the prescribed consistency or modify the flow set-up without guidance from the treating speech pathologist or other appropriately qualified clinician.

Important

The Cip-Kup can reduce the suction effort required to access a drink, but it does not make swallowing safe for someone who aspirates or has dysphagia.

For individuals with known or suspected swallowing difficulties, aspiration, respiratory compromise or a prescribed thickened-fluid consistency, use this product according to the recommendations of their treating speech pathologist or swallowing team.

Always supervise children and individuals who require assistance while drinking.