Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders in Adults
OMDs are abnormal movement patterns of the face and mouth that Speech Therapy can help. There is not a known, single cause of OMDs.
What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
OMDs are abnormal movement patterns of the face and mouth that Speech Therapy can help. There is not a known, single cause of OMDs.
OMDs may be caused by several factors:
- Blocked nasal passages because of tonsil size or allergies. When the nasal passages are blocked, people may need to breathe through their mouths instead
- Anything that causes the tongue to be misplaced at rest or makes it difficult to keep the lips together at rest
- Incorrect sucking and chewing habits past the age of 3 years
The individual may have trouble with speech, swallowing, or breathing.
More specifically, some signs and symptoms of OMDs include:
- Speech articulation difficulties (such as lisp, where the individual produces the “S” and “Z” sounds with his or her tongue forward and between the teeth)
- Drooling or an open-mouth posture
- Disordered sleep (such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea) or sleep-disordered breathing (such as snoring)
- Difficulty swallowing with the lips closed
- Maybe dental malocclusion
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a type of therapy that certain Speech Therapists specialize in. Our Speech Therapists are Myofunctional Therapists at the Persian Speech Clinic.