The Connection Between Speech & Airway

Has your child been in speech therapy for years and hit a plateau? Does your child produce speech sounds in therapy, but then fall apart in conversation? Is your child also a mouth breather? If you answered yes to these questions, your child could likely benefit from myofunctional (“myo”) therapy.

Chronic mouth breathing is often a sign of an underlying health concern, such as uncontrolled allergies, enlarged adenoids, or sleep apnea. Children with a tongue tie are also likely to have an open mouth posture. If a child cannot breathe through the nose on a regular basis, he is likely to lower the tongue in the mouth to breathe. Without resting the tongue in the correct position (the roof of the mouth), his speech sounds may be impacted.

If your child is a mouth breather and also making speech sound errors, reach out to an orofacial myologist for a comprehensive evaluation.

Readers: Do you notice mouth breathing at home?

About the Author: Melissa Goff, M.S, CCC-SLP, is the owner of Sunflower Speech & Myo Therapy, PLLC, in Charlotte, NC.