What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders? A Parent's Guide

Kurliand Speech Clinic

5 days ago

4 min read

Have you noticed that your child often breathes through their mouth, rests with their lips apart, or pushes their tongue against their teeth when swallowing? These patterns may be signs of an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD).

Orofacial myofunctional disorders affect how the muscles of the face, lips, tongue, and jaw work together during breathing, swallowing, chewing, and speaking. They can be associated with learned habits, structural differences, and other contributing factors (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], n.d.).

Some children develop oral habits or movement patterns that affect how their tongue, lips, and jaw function together. When these patterns persist, they may benefit from an assessment by a qualified professional.

Understanding the signs of orofacial myofunctional disorders can help parents determine when to seek support and whether speech therapy may be appropriate.

Signs of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders in Children

Every child develops differently, and having one of these signs does not necessarily mean a child has an orofacial myofunctional disorder. However, certain patterns may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

According to ASHA (n.d.), possible signs of orofacial myofunctional disorders include:

Mouth breathing: Your child frequently breathes through their mouth while resting or sleeping. Persistent mouth breathing may be associated with nasal congestion or other airway concerns.
Tongue thrust: Your child pushes their tongue forward against or between their teeth when swallowing. This pattern may also occur during speech.
Speech sound difficulties: Your child has difficulty producing certain sounds, such as /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, or /l/. In some cases, tongue placement or movement may contribute to these difficulties.
Open-mouth resting posture: Your child frequently rests with their lips apart when they are not speaking or eating.
Chewing difficulties: Your child has difficulty coordinating tongue and jaw movements to move food around their mouth or chew efficiently.
Drooling: Your child experiences persistent drooling beyond the age when it would typically be expected, which may indicate difficulties with oral control.

If you notice these patterns regularly, an assessment can help determine whether further evaluation or treatment is appropriate.

What Causes Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?

Orofacial myofunctional disorders can have several contributing factors. These may include:

Airway or nasal difficulties: Allergies, chronic nasal congestion, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and other obstructions may contribute to mouth breathing and changes in resting posture.
Prolonged oral habits: Frequent thumb sucking, finger sucking, or prolonged pacifier use may influence oral posture and dental development in some children.
Structural differences: Differences in the development or structure of the jaw, teeth, and other oral structures may affect tongue and lip function.
Sleep-related breathing concerns: Frequent snoring, mouth breathing during sleep, or other signs of disrupted breathing may indicate an underlying airway concern that needs further assessment.

These factors do not automatically mean a child has an orofacial myofunctional disorder. Because mouth breathing and other oral patterns may have underlying medical or structural causes, it is important to identify and address those concerns as part of the assessment process.

How Can Speech Therapy Help With Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) with appropriate training in orofacial myofunctional disorders can assess how the tongue, lips, jaw, and other oral structures function at rest and during activities such as speaking and swallowing.

Following an assessment, the SLP can determine whether orofacial myofunctional therapy is appropriate and develop an individualized treatment plan based on the child's needs.

Depending on the assessment findings and treatment goals, therapy may focus on the following areas:

Improving tongue resting posture: Helping your child develop an appropriate, comfortable tongue resting position when they are not speaking or eating.
Supporting lip closure: Working on a relaxed lip posture at rest when appropriate and when the child can breathe comfortably through their nose.
Supporting speech sound production: Helping your child learn appropriate tongue placement and movement for sounds such as /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, and /l/, when these difficulties are related to their oral movement patterns.
Improving chewing and swallowing coordination: Addressing tongue and jaw movements involved in chewing and swallowing when these concerns fall within the SLP's scope of practice and training.
Supporting healthy oral function: Helping your child develop more coordinated oral movement patterns that support their individual functional goals.

Treatment depends on the child's specific needs. If nasal obstruction, enlarged tonsils, allergies, or another medical concern is contributing to mouth breathing, the child may also need assessment or treatment from an appropriate healthcare professional. Speech therapy does not replace medical or dental care when these services are needed.

When Should You Seek an Orofacial Myofunctional Assessment?

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional if your child regularly breathes through their mouth, has difficulty with certain speech sounds, pushes their tongue against their teeth when swallowing, or experiences persistent difficulties with chewing or oral control.

An SLP can help determine whether a speech-language assessment is appropriate and whether further evaluation by a dentist, orthodontist, physician, or another healthcare professional may be beneficial.

Early identification can help families better understand their child's needs and explore appropriate support.

Speech Therapy in Vaughan, Ontario

At Kurliand Speech Clinic, we provide speech-language pathology services to children and families in Vaughan, Ontario, and surrounding communities. We understand that every child has different strengths and needs, and we aim to help families find support that is appropriate for their child.

If you have concerns about your child's speech, oral movements, or communication development, our team can help you explore the next steps.

Contact Kurliand Speech Clinic to learn more about our speech therapy services in Vaughan, Ontario, and whether an assessment may be appropriate for your child.

Visit kurliandspeechclinic.ca to learn more about our services.