Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders and Myofunctional Therapy

By Darleen Boling And Kerry Ann Humphrey

Children, teenagers, and adults may suffer from orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). OMDS may interfere with normal growth and development of the muscles and bones of the face and mouth. OMDs may also interfere with how the muscles of the face and mouth are used for eating, talking, and breathing. People who have an OMD may also have problems with talking, swallowing, and breathing through their nose, and some children push out their tongue when they talk, drink, or eat.

The following is a list of symptoms that might have as their root cause an OMD:

• Struggling with breast or bottle feeding. Does your baby latch well or click while eating? Do you have pain, sores, or low supply? Does your baby refuse the breast or bottle?

• Difficulty transitioning to solid foods. Does your child gag on food or refuse to take food?

• Spitting up frequently or in large amounts. Are you tired of cleaning up the messes?

• Struggling with colic and sleep. Do you feel like you have a “bad” baby?

• Wetting the bed beyond normal potty training age. Are you tired of pull-ups, altering social habits, and changing sheets? Are you concerned about your child being continent at school?

• Holding the mouth open. Do you notice that your child is a mouth breather? Did you know we should be breathing through our noses?

• Snoring or grinding of teeth. These are huge red flags for sleep and oral issues!

• Being diagnosed with ADHD or having a poor attention span. 75 percent of those diagnosed with ADHD also have sleep issues.

• Being a fussy or messy eater. Does your child eat only a few foods or have a messy face when they are done eating? Do you worry about your child eating school lunch because of these issues?

• Struggling with speech issues. Has your child been seen for speech therapy, but you are feeling “stuck”? Does your child speak too well to qualify for speech therapy but you often have to interpret what they are saying?

• Having poor sleep patterns. Does your child wake up in the middle of the night and come into your room? Do they take an hour or more to fall asleep? Do you struggle to wake them in the morning? Do they wake up on the wrong side of the bed most days? Do they toss and turn or have nightmares?

• Having complicated orthodontic needs. Does your child need expanders or to have teeth removed? Are there plans for multiple rounds of braces? Do you want to try to prevent this?

• Getting teased for bad oral habits Does your child thumb suck, bite their nails, or chew on non-food items to help regulate?

Do these feel like pieces of your puzzle? Did you read this list and see your child or yourself? If so, therapy for the mouth, or myofunctional therapy, might be in order.

The goals of myofunctional therapy include improved growth, health, mental acuity, and focus. Therapy will focus on helping families sleep through the night, helping children improve scholastically, and encouraging proper craniofacial development and posture.

Myofunctional therapists often work with other providers who have significant training in their area of expertise in order to help patient’s reach their goals. Some of these team players are craniosacral therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, dentists, ENTs, and orthodontists. A well established team consists of qualified providers who work together towards helping you achieve your and your family’s best life.

There are providers in southern Utah who can help you and your children get the therapy needed to function to the best of their capacity. Kerry Ann Humphrey provides oral motor and feeding therapy for infants and babies at Unity Health and Wellness, and Darleen specializes in OMD therapy for children and adults in her practice, Myofunctional Therapy. For more information or to set up an appointment, call Unity Health and Wellness at (435) 703-6600.

About the Author

Darleen Boling

Darleen Boling is the owner of Myofunctional Therapy. She has been a Dental Hygienist for thirteen years and a myofunctional therapist for the last three years. She finds joy not only in helping her clients but also in spending time with her family, especially playing with her three children. About the Author

Kerry Ann McFadden Humphrey

Kerry Ann McFadden Humphrey is an occupational therapist who has worked with children and babies for twenty years. For the past eighteen years, she has worked with tinies in the neonatal intensive care unit, and she started her lactation career there. She and her husband Matt are the owners of Unity Health & Wellness in Hurricane, Utah. Kerry Ann loves helping moms and babies live the best lives possible.