Why Myofunctional Therapy is Essential for Your Child Beyond Just Speech Therapy
- devaraeloomis
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
When your child struggles with speech, it’s natural to turn to speech therapy as the first solution. Speech therapy focuses on improving how your child produces sounds and words, but sometimes, it’s not enough. If your child’s articulation issues persist despite therapy, the root cause might lie deeper in the muscles and functions of the face and mouth. This is where myofunctional therapy becomes essential. Understanding why your child might need myofunctional therapy alongside or instead of speech therapy can make a significant difference in their progress.
What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) involve problems with the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue. These muscles control essential functions like chewing, swallowing, breathing, and speaking. When these muscles don’t work properly or function independently of other muscles, it can lead to difficulties in articulation and other oral functions.
Common OMDs include:
Low muscle tone in the tongue or facial muscles, which reduces strength and control.
Tethered oral tissues, such as a tongue tie, where the tissue under the tongue restricts its movement.
Tongue thrust, a habit where the tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth during swallowing or speaking.
Learned compensations where the child adapts to muscle restrictions and disordered breathing, by using incorrect tongue or lip positions.
These disorders can cause or worsen articulation problems, making it hard for your child to produce clear speech sounds.
Why Speech Therapy Alone May Not Be Enough
Speech therapy focuses on teaching your child how to produce sounds correctly. However, if the underlying muscle function is weak or restricted, your child may struggle to make the correct movements no matter how much practice they get.
For example, a child with a tongue tie might not be able to lift or move their tongue properly to produce certain sounds like "r" or "s". Those with a tongue thrust might protrude their tongue with sounds like "l" or "n". Speech therapy might teach the correct placement, but without addressing the underlying cause, the child often struggles to produce the sound correctly or sustain progress.
Similarly, a child with low muscle tone or poor dissociation between their jaw and the other articulators, may have difficulty controlling their tongue and lips, leading to slurred or unclear speech. Speech therapy alone may not strengthen these muscles enough to improve articulation.
How Myofunctional Therapy Helps
Myofunctional therapy targets the root causes of articulation disorders by focusing on the muscles and functions of the face and mouth. It involves exercises and techniques designed to:
Strengthen weak tongue and facial muscles.
Improve tongue mobility and coordination.
Correct swallowing patterns and tongue posture.
Identify restrictions caused by tethered oral tissues like tongue tie
Retrain the tongue, jaw, and lips to work properly during speech and swallowing.
By addressing these physical issues, myofunctional therapy creates a foundation that allows speech therapy techniques to be more effective.
Signs Your Child May Need Myofunctional Therapy
If your child has been in speech therapy but still struggles with articulation, consider whether any of these signs apply:
Difficulty producing specific sounds despite repeated practice.
Persistent lisp or tongue thrust during speech.
Visible restrictions under the tongue or tight frenulum (possible tongue tie).
Mouth breathing or open mouth posture.
Difficulty chewing or swallowing.
Frequent drooling or poor lip seal.
If you notice these signs, it’s worth consulting a myofunctional therapist who can assess your child’s muscle function and oral structures.
Myofunctional therapist working with a child on tongue and lip exercises
Combining Myofunctional Therapy with Speech Therapy
The best results often come from combining myofunctional therapy with speech therapy. While myofunctional therapy strengthens and retrains the muscles, speech therapy focuses on sound production. Together, they address both the physical and functional aspects of speech. Here at Elevate Myofunctional Therapy, you get the best of both worlds! Our founder and therapist, Devarae Loomis, is a speech-language pathologist trained in myofunctional therapy.
What to Expect from Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy usually involves:
An initial assessment of oral muscle function and structure.
Customized exercises to improve muscle tone, tongue posture, and swallowing patterns.
Regular sessions over weeks or months, depending on the severity of the disorder.
Home exercises for parents to help their child practice daily.
Referrals to other healthcare professionals as needed, including ENT, airway dentists, orthodontists, bodyworkers, PT, OT, sleep medicine doctors, allergists, and more.
Progress can vary, but many children show improvements in speech clarity, swallowing, and oral habits within a few months.
Taking the Next Step
If your child’s speech therapy hasn’t fully resolved their articulation issues, it’s time to explore myofunctional therapy. Early intervention can prevent long-term speech difficulties and improve your child’s confidence and communication skills.
Helping your child speak clearly involves more than just practicing sounds. Addressing the underlying muscle and structural issues with myofunctional therapy can unlock their full potential for clear, confident speech. Don’t hesitate to seek this specialized support if speech therapy alone hasn’t worked.
Disclaimer: This post provides general information about myofunctional therapy and speech therapy. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment tailored to your child.
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