Orofacial Myology
Orofacial Myology with Speech Pathologists in Croydon
Wondering what Orofacial Myology actually is?
You might have been referred by your child's dentist, orthodontist, ENT or another health professional. Or perhaps you've noticed something yourself.
Your child might breathe through their mouth, rest with their mouth open, push their tongue forward when they swallow, or have particular speech sounds that are tricky.
These can all be reasons to explore Orofacial Myology.
At Playology, Orofacial Myology is provided by Speech Pathologists who have completed additional training in Orofacial Myology. Two members of our Speech Pathology team have this additional training, allowing them to consider your child's speech and oral function together, rather than treating them as completely separate areas.
Orofacial Myology looks at how the tongue, lips, jaw and facial muscles work together for everyday functions such as resting, breathing, chewing, swallowing and speaking.
We'll look at what's happening for your child, what might be contributing, and whether Orofacial Myology intervention would actually be useful.
Does any of this sound like your child?
“Their mouth always seems to be open.”
You might notice your child regularly resting with their lips apart or breathing through their mouth, particularly when they're concentrating, watching TV or sleeping.
There can be different reasons for this, so we don't assume it's simply a habit that needs to be changed.
Your OM Speech Pathologist can look at your child's oral posture and function and, where needed, work alongside professionals such as their dentist, orthodontist, GP or ENT to make sure anything contributing to mouth breathing is considered.
“Their tongue seems to sit forward.”
Where the tongue rests when we're not eating or speaking can be part of the overall picture of oral function.
You might notice your child's tongue sitting forward or between their teeth, or this may have been raised by their dentist or orthodontist.
Orofacial Myology can explore your child's tongue resting posture and movement, and how the tongue works together with the lips and jaw.
“They push their tongue forward when they swallow.”
Sometimes called a tongue thrust, the tongue may move forwards or press against or between the teeth during swallowing.
Your child's dentist or orthodontist may have noticed this, particularly if they're considering or already undergoing orthodontic treatment.
We can assess your child's swallowing pattern and, where appropriate, work on how the tongue, lips and jaw coordinate during swallowing.
“Their dentist or orthodontist told us to see someone.”
This is a common way families find Orofacial Myology.
Your child's dentist or orthodontist might have noticed something about their tongue posture, swallowing pattern, lip closure or oral habits that they'd like explored alongside their dental or orthodontic care.
We're happy to communicate with the professionals already involved so everyone is working from the same picture.
“Some speech sounds are tricky, and not resolving with speech therapy.”
The way the tongue, lips and jaw move can sometimes be relevant to speech sound production.
Your child might have a lisp or another speech sound difference alongside concerns about their tongue posture or oral function.
Because our Orofacial Myology clinicians are also Speech Pathologists, we can consider speech and oral function together and work out what actually needs support.
“They have oral habits we're wondering about.”
Thumb or finger sucking, dummy use and other oral habits can sometimes influence the way the mouth and facial muscles are being used.
Rather than simply focusing on stopping a behaviour, we can consider the role it plays for your child, what's happening with their oral function and whether support would be useful.
Do I book Speech Pathology or Orofacial Myology?
You don't need to work this out on your own.
In our experience, Orofacial Myology rarely sits completely separately from Speech Pathology. Speech sounds, tongue movement and oral function can overlap, so sometimes the best place to start is simply with a Speech Pathologist.
Orofacial Myology Assessment
We start by understanding what's happening.
Before deciding on intervention, your Speech Pathologist will look at your child's orofacial function and the specific concerns that brought you to us.
Depending on your child, this may include looking at:
- tongue and lip movement
- tongue resting posture
- lip closure
- breathing patterns
- chewing and swallowing
- speech sounds
- oral habits
- how the tongue, lips and jaw work together
We'll also talk with you about what you've noticed and any relevant speech, dental, orthodontic or medical history.
From there, we'll explain what we're seeing, whether Orofacial Myology intervention would be useful and what we recommend next.
Sometimes that means starting intervention. Sometimes it means getting another professional involved first. And sometimes no further support is needed.
Orofacial Myology Support
Getting Started
You don't need to know whether your child needs Orofacial Myology before you contact us.
You might have been referred by another professional, have a very specific concern, or simply have something you've noticed and would like explored.
We'll start by understanding why you've come, what's happening for your child and how their oral structures and muscles are functioning.
From there, we'll work out whether Orofacial Myology intervention is appropriate, whether another professional needs to be involved, and what support makes sense.