Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
The Hidden Foundation Affecting Everything From Speech to Sleep and Behavior
Could improper oral muscle patterns be the missing piece in you or your child’s health puzzle? OMDs impact far more than just speech – they influence breathing, eating, sleeping, and even attention and behavior.
What are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) are patterns involving improper function of the muscles and tissues of the face, mouth, and throat. These disorders affect how we breathe, chew, swallow, speak, and even sleep. When the tongue, lips, jaw, and facial muscles don’t work together properly, it can create a cascade of issues that impact overall health and development.
Think of OMDs as the foundation of oral function – when this foundation is unstable, everything built on top of it becomes compromised. From the before a baby is born, proper oral muscle patterns are essential for feeding, breathing, and later speech development.
Sleep and Overall Health Impact
OMDs don’t just affect daytime function – they significantly impact sleep quality¹². Poor oral muscle function can contribute to sleep-disordered breathing, which affects growth hormone production, immune function, and cognitive development. Children with untreated OMDs may experience behavioral issues, academic challenges, and decreased quality of life.
Mouth Breathing
Picky Eating
Feeding Difficulties
Misaligned Teeth
Recognizing the Signs: Common Symptoms of OMDs
In Infants and Toddlers:
Recognizing the Signs: Common Symptoms of OMDs
In Children and Adults:
Why Should You Care? The Far-Reaching Impact of OMDs
Research reveals a striking connection between mouth breathing and ADHD-like behaviors. When children breathe through their mouths instead of their noses, they receive less oxygen to the brain, leading to difficulties with focus, attention, and behavior regulation¹. Studies show that children who mouth breathe are significantly more likely to exhibit hyperactive and inattentive behaviors⁵.
Statistics That Tell the Story
What Does Myofunctional Therapy Look Like?
Myofunctional therapy is a specialized, comprehensive program of exercises and techniques designed to retrain the oral and facial muscles to function properly. When implemented by a speech-language pathologist, this therapeutic approach integrates myofunctional principles with speech therapy, oral placement techniques, and feeding interventions to address the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.
This holistic approach recognizes that oral motor function underlies multiple areas of development – breathing, eating, speaking, and sleeping are all interconnected. By addressing the foundational muscle patterns that impact all these functions, we can create lasting change that improves overall quality of life.
Treatment is individualized based on each person’s specific patterns and needs, often combining myofunctional exercises with traditional speech therapy techniques and feeding interventions for a comprehensive approach.
The Treatment Process:
Foundational Improvement: The beauty of this comprehensive approach is that by addressing the foundational patterns, improvements often cascade across multiple areas of functionWhy Professional Assessment Matters:
Regular Sessions with Home Practice: Comprehensive myofunctional therapy typically involves regular sessions over several months, with daily home practice between appointments
Integrated Approach: When provided by a speech-language pathologist, treatment seamlessly integrates myofunctional exercises with speech therapy goals, oral placement therapy techniques for precise muscle training, and feeding interventions when needed
Simultaneous Multi-Area Treatment: This integrated approach allows us to address multiple concerns at once – improving tongue posture while working on speech sounds, or combining breathing exercises with feeding techniques
Gradual but Dramatic Progress: Progress is gradual but often dramatic, with improvements visible in breathing patterns, speech clarity, feeding skills, facial development, and overall health
Cascading Benefits: Many families report better sleep, improved behavior, enhanced communication skills, and increased quality of life as oral function improves across all areas
Why Professional Assessment Matters:
- Specialized Training Required: OMDs are complex disorders that require specialized training to identify and treat effectively
- Individualized Treatment Plans: Professional assessment allows for development of individualized treatment plans that address your specific patterns and needs
- Integrated Approach: My dual training enables me to seamlessly integrate myofunctional therapy with speech therapy and feeding interventions for comprehensive care
- Family Guidance: Professional assessment includes guiding families through the therapeutic process with evidence-based strategies and ongoing support
- Early Intervention Benefits: Don’t let OMDs continue to impact your or your child’s health, development, and quality of life – early professional intervention can prevent years of struggle and unlock your child’s full potential for healthy breathing, eating, speaking, and sleeping
Ready to learn more?
Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive orofacial myofunctional assessment and take the first step toward better oral health and function.
References
- Kalaskar, R., Bhaje, P., Kalaskar, A., & Faye, A. (2021). Sleep Difficulties and Symptoms of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children with Mouth Breathing. International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, 14(5), 604–609.
- Ivanov, I., Miraglia, B., Prodanova, D., & Newcorn, J. H. (2024). Sleep Disordered Breathing and Risk for ADHD: Review of Supportive Evidence and Proposed Underlying Mechanisms. Journal of Attention Disorders, 28(7), 892-905.
- Wadsworth, S. D., Maui, C. A., & Stevens, E. J. (1998). The Prevalence of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders Among Children Identified with Speech and Language Disorders in Grades Kindergarten Through Six. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 24(1), 1-19.
- Kellum, G. D. (1992). Overview, prevalence, and etiology of orofacial myofunctional disorders. International Journal of Orofacial Myology, 18(1), 1-6.
- Hasegawa, K., Matsui, Y., Tsubakimoto, T., & Miyazaki, H. (2014). Increased oxygen load in the prefrontal cortex from mouth breathing: a vector-based near-infrared spectroscopy study. NeuroReport, 25(12), 935-939.
