Understanding Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders: What Parents Should Know
As parents, we often notice the little things about our children. Maybe your child snores or grinds their teeth at night, appears tired even after a long night of sleep, seems to have unusual chewing patterns, or has difficulty with certain speech sounds.
Sometimes, these observations may be related to an orofacial myofunctional disorder, often called an OMD.
At Wolff Speech Language & Feeding LLC, orofacial myofunctional disorders and therapy are an area of special interest. Understanding how the tongue, lips, jaw, and facial muscles work together can provide important information about a child’s speech, feeding, swallowing, and overall oral function.
What Is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder?
An orofacial myofunctional disorder involves atypical patterns of movement or resting posture of the muscles of the mouth and face. These patterns can affect how a person rests, breathes, speaks, chews, and swallows.
For example, when the body is at rest, the tongue, lips, and jaw should work together seamlessly for an appropriate resting posture. If the tongue frequently rests forward or between the teeth, the lips remain apart, or the tongue moves forward during swallowing, these patterns may be signs of an OMD.
OMDs can be influenced by a variety of factors, including structural differences, learned habits, airway concerns, and other developmental or environmental factors. Because there is not always one single cause, it is often important to look at the whole picture.
What Are Some Signs of an OMD?
Every child is different, and the presence of one of these signs does not necessarily mean your child has an orofacial myofunctional disorder. However, an evaluation may be helpful if you notice one or more of the following:
· Frequent open-mouth or lips-apart resting posture
· Difficulty keeping the lips comfortably closed at rest
· A tongue that rests forward, between, or against the teeth
· Tongue thrusting during swallowing
· Persistent difficulty producing certain sounds, even after long-term intervention
· Unusual chewing or swallowing patterns
· Food or liquid loss from the mouth
· Prolonged thumb, finger, or pacifier habits
· Concerns about tongue mobility or a possible tongue-tie
· Frequent mouth breathing
· Snoring or other concerns related to sleep and breathing
· Dental or orthodontic concerns, such as an open bite
OMDs can coexist with speech and feeding/swallowing concerns, which is why it is important to evaluate how the structures and muscles of the mouth are functioning during everyday activities.
When Should You Seek Help?
If you have concerns about your child’s speech, tongue movement, chewing, swallowing, oral resting posture, or breathing habits, it may be helpful to speak with a qualified professional.
A comprehensive evaluation can help determine whether an atypical pattern is present and whether it is having a functional impact on your child’s daily life.
What Is the Role of a Speech-Language Pathologist?
There are many professionals who can play an important role in the evaluation and treatment of OMDs- dentists, orthodontists, physical therapists, chiropractors, and craniosacral therapists, to name a few. SLPs also play an important role when it comes to evaluating and treating OMDs:
An appropriately trained SLP may evaluate:
· The resting position of the tongue, lips, and jaw
· Tongue mobility and coordination
· Speech sound production and placement
· Chewing and swallowing patterns
· Lip closure and oral control
· The way a child drinks from a cup or straw
· Oral habits that may be affecting function
· How oral movement patterns impact everyday activities such as speaking and eating
· Provide appropriate referrals to other OMD trained professionals as part of a Team
Therapy focuses on identifying and addressing functional patterns that may be affecting the child’s speech, swallowing, feeding, and oral resting posture.
Depending on the child’s needs, treatment may focus on improving awareness and coordination of the lips, tongue, and jaw; developing more functional resting patterns; addressing chewing and swallowing skills; and incorporating speech sound therapy when appropriate. Treatment should always be individualized to the child and their specific needs.
OMD Treatment Is Often a Team Approach
Orofacial myofunctional disorders can involve more than one area of development, which means treatment may include collaboration with other professionals.
Depending on a child’s individual needs, an SLP may work alongside or recommend consultation with professionals such as:
· Pediatricians and other physicians
· ENTs
· Dentists
· Orthodontists
· Oral surgeons
· Allergists
· Lactation consultants
· Other feeding and medical specialists
How Can Wolff Speech Language & Feeding LLC Help?
At Wolff Speech Language & Feeding LLC, we believe in looking beyond a single symptom and looking at the whole picture instead. A child may come to us because of a lisp, feeding concern, or tongue thrust—but these concerns can sometimes be connected to larger patterns involving oral function.
Our comprehensive approach considers your child’s individual strengths and needs. During an evaluation, we look at how the structures and muscles of the mouth are functioning and how these patterns may impact speech, feeding, swallowing, and everyday life.
When appropriate, we develop an individualized treatment plan and collaborate with other members of your child’s care team. We also believe that parent education is an important part of the process, so families can better understand what we are observing, why it matters, and how to support their child.
Concerned About Your Child’s Oral Function?
If you have noticed concerns with your child’s tongue movement, speech, chewing, swallowing, oral resting posture, or breathing habits, an evaluation may help provide answers.
At Wolff Speech Language & Feeding LLC, we are here to help families better understand their child’s unique needs and determine the most appropriate next steps.
