Specialist Services
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Did you know that the movement patterns of the muscles in the tongue and face impact how the surrounding body structures develop?
The tongue is a powerful force and can impact how the upper and lower jaws and dental arches are formed.
Take a minute to stop and breathe. Think about where your tongue is sitting in your mouth.
Did you know that the optimal tongue rest posture is against the hard palate (roof of the mouth) with the lips closed and breathing through the nose?
When the tongue does not rest in this posture it can impact development and function of the surrounding structures.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a specialist treatment approach that supports the development of optimal facial growth and function. it involves the use of personalised treatment exercises to encourage optimal muscle function for resting, feeding and speech.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can support with the following areas:
Developing optimal tongue rest posture in the mouth
Encouraging nasal breathing with closed lips
Developing age-appropriate and functional eating and drinking skills
Correcting atypical speech sound errors, including lisps
8 Signs your child may benefit from Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
1. Open mouth posture at rest when awake and sleeping
2. Excessive drooling and difficulty managing saliva
3. Tongue thrust (i.e., tongue sitting between the front teeth).
4. Diagnosed or suspected tongue and/or lip ties
5. Dental abnormalities (e.g., open bite, over bite, dental crowding)
6. Non-nutritive oral habits (e.g. prolonged pacifier use, thumb sucking)
7. Distorted speech sound production (especially for t, d, s, z, l, r sounds)
8. A history or airway difficulties (e.g., enlarged adenoids and tonsils)
All of the above signs and symptoms impact the muscle function of the face which can result in prolonged use of sub-optimal muscle patterns that cause changes to the oral structures
For more information regarding how Core Speech can support your child, please contact us.
Myo Munchee Oral Appliance
Myo Munchee is a soft chewing device made from soft, medical grade silicon.
Did you know that chewing enhances the strength of jaw and mouth muscles which are essential for optimal oral function, including rest posture, feeding and speech?
The Myo Munchee is a useful tool that can be utilised as part of an individualised therapy approach to provide opportunities for therapeutic chewing.
More information about the Myo Munchee and its benefits can be found on their website.
Emma is a Myo Munchee Registered Provider and can assist you in determining if this would be a beneficial adjunct to you child’s therapy program.
