Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

 Orofacial myofunctional therapy is an oral exercise based intervention program focused on treatment of non-nutritive sucking habits, other detrimental orofacial habits, abnormal orofacial rest posture, neuromuscular muscle patterns associated with abnormal mastication, bolus, formation, and deglutition, abnormal swallowing patterns, tongue thrust, disordered speech patterns, and abnormal functional breathing patterns. 

• Proper tongue resting posture
• Lip seal at rest
• Nasal breathing
• Eliminate oral habits
• Increase strength & coordination of oral musculature
• Appropriate chewing pattern
• Appropriate swallow pattern

• Mouth breathing
• Malocclusion (underbite, overbite, open bite, crowding, poor jaw alignment) 
• Tongue and lip ties
• Tongue thrust & lisp
• Sleep disordered breathing & apnea
• Prolonged oral habits (tongue, finger, thumb sucking, nail biting, )prolonged pacifier use
• Jaw, neck, or facial pain
• Low tongue rest posture
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Messy eating
• Speech errors

Therapy can start as early as 4 year of age. Child should be able to attend and follow directions/imitate oral movements. Oral imitation and control is addressed and will improve with therapy as well. Therapy for younger children will differ somewhat from therapy with older children and adults. That is the reason we offer two distinct programs based on ages and readiness, TickTalk Myo and TickTalk Mini-Myo. Prior to age 4, the focus is on elimination of oral habits, addressing any airway concerns, addressing feeding and texture issues. TickTalk ThumbTalk program is designed to address oral habits in younger children without use of any painful or harsh appliances.