San Diego Center For Speech Therapy, Myofunctional Therapy, and OT

Very interesting. Music is therapy.

We love our OT working with my son. He is having a blast and may not realize he is working hard!

****RESEARCH IS NOW SHOWING: If a newborn baby sleeps with the lips open, then there is a statistically significant likelihood that there is a tongue tie!********RESEARCH IS NOW SHOWING: If a newborn baby sleeps with the lips open, then there is a statistically significant likelihood that there is a tongue tie!****

****If a newborn baby sleeps with the lips open, then there is a statistically significant likelihood that there is a tongue tie!**** I have always felt that a tongue tie is the beginning of the cascade of the series of events of: Open mouth posture, mouth breathing, low tongue posture, low tone of the orofacial complex, inflammation of lymphoid tissue (tonsils/adenoids), snoring and sleep disordered breathing, reflux, dental malocclusion or restricted growth of the j...aws, feeding issues, ear infections, tongue thrust, and possibly speech issues, etc. This needs to be detected and addressed early in order to help prevent this cascade that only builds in symptoms, intensity, and compensations!!! Conclusion: Newborns without alteration of the lingual frenulum have a tendency to remain with their lips closed and their tongue elevated during rest and newborns with ankyloglossia have a tendency to keep their lips parted and their tongue low during rest.

Tongue Tie and lip posture- fascinating! Newborns without alteration of the lingual frenulum have a tendency to remain with their lips closed and their tongue e...levated during rest and newborns with ankyloglossia have a tendency to keep their lips parted and their tongue low during rest. https://www.scielo.br/j/codas/a/ddGJ7HM5DZBJg4FBQJcLM3J/ See more

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/6112

Thank you to our amazing pediatric dentist colleague at Kidz Place Dentistry for posting this review and understanding the importance of myofunctional therapy.

"How'd you think to draw that?"; "How'd you think to create that?"; "How'd you think to use those materials together?" Start to marvel at the workings of your c...hild's mind. Be curious. Wonder about the "how" rather than praising the "what." Watch how they respond. It's magic. There's nothing that feels so good as when someone around us expresses interest in us: in how we think about things, in how we came up with our ideas, in where we want to go next. Imagine your boss asking, "Wow, how'd you think to complete the project that way? Tell me more..." or your friend asking, "How'd you think to design your bedroom this way?" When someone asks, "How'd you think to...," they are letting us know that they want to learn more about US. We stay center stage, we stay as the protagonist of the story as we explain, say, all the research we did on Pinterest to come up with our bedroom design or how many paint colors we actually considered or a story about always wanting to have a brighter bedroom but being nervous to and then feeling bold and creative and going for it. When someone asks us a question that indicates interest in our process, we feel that we have that person's full attention, that there's nothing this person wants more in that moment than for us to expand and share more about ourselves. This builds connection, self-worth, self-confidence, and a self-belief that proclaims, "The things inside me are interesting... to myself and to other people. For more confidence building scripts and strategies, head to learning.goodinside.com and watch the preview of my Rethinking Confidence Workshop. Try this question today with your child. Ask, "How'd you think to..." and come back here and tell us all what happens.

If a child is a thumb sucker, there is a high likelihood there is airway dysfunction or tongue tie. The finger sucking is just a compensation. TREAT THE UNDERLYING ISSUE!If a child is a thumb sucker, there is a high likelihood there is airway dysfunction or tongue tie. The finger sucking is just a compensation. TREAT THE UNDERLYING ISSUE!

From Dr. McIntosh: I have been saying this for over 10 years now- 1. kids are not meant to snore 2. kids do not need to have sleep apnoea to warrant intervention... 3. treatment needs to be prompt once the condition is found. Despite the huge amount of knowledge, every week I am seeing kids with their parents that tell me they have been told that it is ok for kids to snore and mouth breathe- I have even been shown letters written by ENTs that state as much and I have seen at least one put it on their website. Trying to get people over the line to appreciating they are wrong and need to take snoring and mouth breathing seriously is only half the battle. The government public health system ignores the Australian ENT society guidelines that these chidden need to be category 2- the government sets it down as category three. In simple terms this means a child will often wait over 12 months just to see an ENT and then the same again to have their surgery- it is not unusual that it can take 3 years from being referred to being fixed- this is simply too long and parents need to know this is the case- that is why I keep this page going- brain damage and cardiovascular disease are very real outcomes n these children as a cohort and that is simply not fair to them that they suffer. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/resp.14103 See more

Breathing during sleep should be quiet and inaudible. Heavy breathing, snoring, sighing, gasping, pauses in breathing, or audible breathing is a problem.Breathing during sleep should be quiet and inaudible. Heavy breathing, snoring, sighing, gasping, pauses in breathing, or audible breathing is a problem.

Sometimes it helps to remember our kids aren't that different from us...

EVERY SLP, pediatrician, teacher, pediatric therapist/interventionist, and parent needs to see this and know the difference between milestones and averages. BOT...H of these are important to know and consider when looking at a child’s development, and it’s critical to know the difference. Why? Because many parents (and pediatricians) are interpreting milestones as averages and as a result, children in need of assessment and likely intervention are NOT getting referred. In fact, when you look up milestones on the Mayoclinic and WebMD they are EASILY confused as averages as they use phrases like say as many as 10 words! - as if that was a lot. This leads parents to think their children are not that far behind when they have less words than the milestone- when in fact, the child could be significantly behind. So please understand milestones are minimums and if your child is at or below that level, they are in the bottom 10% of kids their age- which means an assessment is needed to determine if a child would benefit from intervention. It’s also important to understand the average isn’t a maximum, it’s near what 50% of children are able to do- so half of the children at that age are even higher than the average number. If your child is at or below the milestones listed below, please consider a speech and language evaluation! See more

This is sad. But always remember any child with behavioral issues warrant an investigation of sleep!!! And that investigation must be from a true sleep specialist, not just a regular pediatrician or regular ENT Who does not specifically specialize in sleep and airway. I can give you names of people if you need.

If you are being told there is no need to see the ENT based on the lack of history of tonsillitis but your child snores, mouth breathers, or has sleep apnoea, then please show this paper to whoever needs to see it- airway obstruction is a reason we operate and often there is no tonsillitis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30554693/

That's a true parenting win right there!

Not every open bite needs to be fixed with surgery... Patient developed open bite after her jaw locked...

#orthodontics #southencalifornia #twitter #facefocused #healthyairway #mouthbreathing #nasalbreathing #facialgrowth #children

#dontignorethesnore #sdb #sleepdisorderedbreathing #snoredtodeath

It’s so frustrating when she won’t eat what I offer!!! Been there. I had my own very picky eater thanks to sensory issues. The key is to offer UNDERwhelming. ... . Why? Because food is OVERwhelming for these kids. . Remember, whether pre-plating of offering family style, kids can always have more of whatever they consume. I’ve got lots of posts on this one it’s straight out of my 4 books. Why mention it in all four? Because it’s tried and true. . Kids need underwhelming as they learn to explore new foods. Start small and build on the adventure from there. . You’ll find all of my books, courses & coaching opportunities via www.melaniepotock.com #linkinbio . Thanks for following me! And, thanks for all you do to raise healthy, happy eaters. . #melaniepotock #pickyeater #fussyeater #feedinglittles #mylittleeater #takeataste #momtip #toddlermoms #toddlerfoodideas #feedingtoddlers

The American Dental Association (ADA) is clearly recognizing dentists’ role in screening children for sleep-disordered breathing. Nicole Chodos Goldfarb is on the ADA supported Children’s Airway Screener Task Force (CAST), developing the universal screening tool that all dentists across United States will use to screen children for sleep breathing and airway problems. We are already in the pilot phase of this study for the screening tool, and we meeting with the ADA in April (after this meeting has been postponed a few times due to Covid). The health of our children reflects the health of the adults in our society. Together we can prevent and cure sleep apnea

ADHD and tonsils (& sleep) From Dr. McIntosh: The following is a general discussion point as I can not provide advice online for medicolegal reasons but I would like to share some science on the topic of ADHD. that may or may not be relevant for you, or to those in similar situations to you. ... In the USA about, 10 years ago, a dedicated paediatric clinic for ADHD suspected a number of the children had a breathing problem affecting their sleep quality. They estimated it was as high as 25%. They brought in the ENTs and their estimate was wrong- it was 50%. When the ENTs addressed the cause of the breathing problem, a substantial number of children no longer had ADHD symptoms. Of those that did, a substantial number needed much less medication. Now of course this is just one element of the situation, but it’s a big one- in some countries they do not allow the prescription of medication for ADHD until sleep has been assessed. Australia is not one of those countries. The type of symptoms to look out for are straight forward enough, such as snoring and mouth breathing. They are simple signs of airway obstruction. This airway obstruction results in disrupted sleep patterns, unrefreshed sleep, and day time function issues. Here is a link to some of the scientific literature. Please note many don’t need surgery- it’s just one area I am sharing for you to read about. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

#dontignorethesnore #snoredtodeath

#mouthbteathing #brainhealth #educationmatters

We have always recommended Xlear spray for our patient to help with nasal hygiene... https://www.abc4.com//a-few-sprays-a-day-may-keep-the-do/

#dontignorethesnore

#dontignorethesnore #breastcancer

Sleep talking, night terrors, and sleepwalking

Here’s the challenge with social mediaa lot of misinformation gets spread to parents who are just trying to provide their baby with the best start possible! .... Let’s clear up any misunderstanding about the tongue-thrust reflex. This reflex, which is closely related to the infant suckling reflex, causes the tongue to move forward and back in order to express milk from the breast. That movement shifts slowwwwly starting at about 6 months of age and morphs into an up and down movement. The tip of the tongue eventually finds the spot where we make the /d/ sound, pressing THERE instead of pushing out to swallow. . So, baby’s don’t lose that reflex on their 6 month birthday. It’s a gradual thing, and there are ways to parent proactively to help baby gain this very important skill. . Give baby a variety of safe foods. Two of my books, Raising a Healthy Happy Eater and also, Baby Self-Feeding, will guide you. . Take a video course on my website for a video experience that isn’t just PowerPoint slides. . Watch over 150 videos on my YouTube channel too! . There is so much info on my site for you at www.melaniepotock.com and meanwhile, I will keep doing a little myth busting here. I hope this is helpful! Tag a friend who might like to learn too! #melaniepotock #websiteinbio #blw6months #blw12months #babysofinsta #feedingbaby #feedinglittles #mylittleeater #pacifiers #babybottles See more

I just finished my two hour presentation for the Talk Tools Global Virtual Feeding First Conference. I really enjoy helping spread the information about sleep disordered breathing and how it affects so many children and adults. If we catch this in early childhood, we can actually prevent sleep apnea in adults! The health and well-being of human kind can benefit immensely when these issues are identified and treated early, or even prevented. ... It is the role of dentists to begin to identify such red flags in children at their one-year dental visit. Also, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, ENTs, pediatricians, allergy doctors, etc. need to be looking for these signs and symptoms as well. As Dr. Steven Park says, When you connect the dots, nearly every chronic human condition can be linked to sleep disorders, and as our jaws and oral structures have changed (shrunk) due to evolution and epigenetics, we are all subject to suffering from such airway issues which affect daytime breathing and sleep. 80% of males and 90% of females remain undiagnosed with sleep apnea. Did you know that children with sleep disorders actually present as having ADHD during the day? Snoring is never normal. Mouth breathing or resting with the lips open is never normal either. Consult with a myofunctional therapist if you have any such concerns or questions with your child or yourself you may actually be saving a life

Learn techniques from over 40 subject matter experts and apply them the next day to address your toughest feeding challenges. Sign up now to Feeding First: Conn...ect & Collaborate Online Conference! Live sessions will run from October 13-23, 2020. Recorded sessions will be accessible to all registered participants through November 20. REGISTER NOW! https://talktools.com/pages/globalonlineconference_main #FeedingFirst #TalkTools #feedingtherapy

Here is the thing: not all ENTs are AIRWAY SPECIALISTS! This is important to know when you are dealing with mouth breathing, myofunctional disorders, sleep apnea, snoring, any form of sleep disorder breathing, tongue tie, etc You MUST go to a specialist.

#breathingmatters

Unbelievable lineup of experts in the field. Feeding First. Are you registered? Starts tomorrow! #talktools #FeedingFirst

#chronicinflammation #osa #brainhealth #dontignorethesnore

EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY! Palatal expander in a 3 year old. Changing brain development!

Here is the link discussing why many children were sleep disordered breathing have low iron. Very important! One reason can be due to nasal obstruction or large tonsils or adenoids, which can contribute to difficulty smelling, chewing, and swallowing. Therefore these children are less likely to eat meat, which is one of the main delivery methods for iron into the body. Another reason is due to The fact that people with sleep disordered breathing have high systemic inflammatio...n in the body. By default, if you have sleep disordered breathing, you will have increased inflammation throughout your entire body. This means your GI system is less likely to absorb the iron that you are eating. It is extremely important for all people to have sufficient ingestion levels of iron, but especially for people to sleep disordered breathing since they require the red blood cells to deliver oxygen, a molecule which they are deficient in especially during sleep. There is also a correlation between low iron and movement disorders including bruxism (clenching and grinding of the teeth) and possibly Tic/Tourette’s (The latter part not discussed in this video). Dr David McIntosh There is a correlation between low iron/ferritin levels in the blood and restless leg syndrome. For my child, the sleep physician prescribed us to do a blood test looking at ferritin level (which is different than blood iron level, but it is my understanding that ferritin is the amount of iron that can be delivered in to the brain), and TIBC (total iron binding capacity). Our sleep doctor told us that The ferritin level should be 50 or higher. https://m.youtube.com/watch

Join me next Thursday!

When Do Symptoms Improve Following a Frenotomy? I get asked frequently when the symptoms associated with tongue-tie will improve following a tongue-tie release.... Unfortunately, there’s not an easy answer to that question. Why? 1) Breastfeeding is far more complicated than just having or not having a tongue tie. Numerous factors affect latch quality including (but not limited to) lip tie, muscle tension, torticollis, how the baby is positioned, milk flow, nipple shape/orientation, infant jaw characteristics, palate height, and muscle tone. Tongue-tie is just one component of that puzzle. This is why working with an IBCLC is so crucial to improving breastfeeding symptoms. 2) The kind of tongue-tie matters. With classic anterior tongue tie, breastfeeding is typically so awful that any improvement is more obvious and happens faster than in babies treated for posterior tongue tie. In general, babies with anterior tongue-tie are also seen earlier (it’s detected faster than posterior tongue tie is) so there is less to unlearn/re-teach. 3) It’s important to define what Improvement means. This correlates with #2 - in babies with anterior tongue tie, it’s more common to have complete inability to latch on to the breast or to experience excruciating nipple pain. When that’s treated (even if the anterior band is simply clipped), those symptoms have been shown to improve in 5 published randomized, controlled trials. The problem is that often, symptoms change if the anterior tie is treated. What I mean is that the symptoms of severe nipple pain and latch inability go away with anterior treatment, but then the baby has difficulty achieving suction, efficient milk transfer, preventing air ingestion/reflux, etc because the posterior tongue tie has been left behind. In babies with just a posterior tongue tie, these symptoms with suction, milk transfer, and reflux are often the only symptoms present. Whereas nipple pain and latch difficulties in babies with anterior tongue tie improve quickly, symptoms that demand tongue strength (latch quality, vacuum generation, etc) take time to improve. The procedure just gives the tongue mobility, but tongue strength is what determines latch quality. Conversely, tongue strength cannot fully develop if the tongue is tied. This concept is important because one of the biggest predictors of whether a mom will continue to breastfeed is maternal self-confidence about the feeding process. If you don’t have appropriate expectations about the feeding experience, you’ll think that the procedure has somehow failed when instead, enough time hasn’t passed to allow tongue strength to form. Also, I think it’s important that we inform parents that there are symptoms beyond just nipple pain, poor weight gain, and latch quality and that we validate their concerns about how the feeding process is going.