Myofunctional Therapy for Kids: A Parent Guide to Goals and Exercises

When children struggle with oral and facial functions, the effects can show up in a variety of ways. Mouth breathing, snoring, and orthodontic issues can cause issues with a child’s speech, sleep, dental development, and overall daily comfort. This can leave parents grasping for answers and ways they can help their child.

Myofunctional therapy could offer a solution. Myofunctional therapy for kids focuses on helping children build better habits by improving tongue posture, swallowing patterns, and other skills. But what can you and your child expect during the treatment process?

What Is Myofunctional Therapy for Kids

Myofunctional therapy is a treatment approach that helps improve how the muscles of the mouth, tongue, face, and throat work together. It focuses on correcting improper patterns that can affect breathing, swallowing, speech, and oral development.

The science behind myofunctional therapy centers on muscle function and habit retraining. When a child uses their facial and oral muscles in unhealthy ways over time, the adverse effects can reach beyond the mouth. Improper muscle patterns can contribute to sleep-disordered breathing, orthodontic problems, and difficulty with normal oral function.

Myofunctional therapy uses repetition to help children develop healthier patterns. As children practice new movements and postures, they can build better muscle coordination and more consistent habits. Over time, those changes can support healthier breathing, swallowing, and oral development.

Signs a Child May Benefit From Myofunctional Therapy

Several symptoms can point to oral and facial muscle patterns that could benefit from focused attention through myofunctional therapy. For example, parents may notice signs such as their child:

• Mouth breathing, both while awake and during sleep

• Snoring or breathing loudly during sleep

• Having an open-mouth posture at rest

• Having difficulty keeping their lips closed

• Thrusting their tongue when swallowing

• Exhibiting speech issues tied to tongue placement

• Drooling past the expected age

• Having trouble chewing or swallowing certain foods

• Having dark circles under their eyes

• Sleeping restlessly

• Experiencing daytime fatigue

• Having crowded teeth or other orthodontic concerns

• Having a tongue that rests low in the mouth

• Sucking their thumb or engaging in other habits that affect their oral development

These symptoms don’t always mean a child needs myofunctional therapy. Still, it’s worth having your child evaluated, because these signs could be pointing to issues that need to be addressed.

Common Goals and Exercises Used in Pediatric Myofunctional Therapy

The overarching goal of myofunctional therapy is to help your child build healthy oral habits. The therapist will work with your child to reduce habits that place stress on their teeth and jaws and replace them with habits that support their sleep, speech, and oral function. Some exercises your child’s therapist may use include:

• Lip seal exercises to help them keep their lips closed at rest

• Tongue-to-palate exercises to teach them proper tongue resting posture

• Swallowing drills to correct tongue thrust and improve their coordination

• Nasal breathing exercises to encourage them to breathe through their nose instead of their mouth

• Cheek and tongue resistance exercises to build strength and control

• Straw or water-swallow tasks to reinforce proper oral patterns

• Habit-retraining exercises for thumb sucking, extended pacifier use, or nail biting

Your child’s myofunctional therapist will tailor these exercises to your child’s age, needs, symptoms, and ability level.

What Parents Can Expect From Evaluation, Home Practice, and Progress

Myofunctional therapy for children will typically start with a close look at your child’s breathing, tongue posture, swallowing patterns, oral habits, and sleep-related symptoms. The provider may also find it helpful to have any relevant information about your child’s dental development. Following the evaluation, the provider will likely give your child some short exercises to practice at home between visits. Make sure your child is consistent about keeping up with these exercises. Remind them to practice and do your best to encourage them and acknowledge any improvements.

In some cases, children with sleep-disordered breathing may need added support. While treatments like CPAP may be effective for some patients, many families look for alternatives like oral appliances that can better meet a child’s needs.

Learn How Silent Night Therapy Can Help Your Child

Every child deserves care that fits their needs. While myofunctional therapy can effectively support healthier breathing and oral function, it may work best in tandem with oral appliance therapy. At Silent Night Therapy, we look at the full picture to determine whether sleep-disordered breathing may be affecting your child’s health and comfort. When treatment is appropriate, our team may recommend oral appliance therapy and work with your family to support your child’s long-term wellness. Contact us at (631) 983-2463 to schedule an evaluation for your child.