Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD)
An orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) is when there is an abnormal lip, jaw, or tongue position during rest, swallowing or speech. You may also see this when there are prolonged oral habits, like thumb or finger sucking.
OMD can be caused by:
- Upper airway obstruction
- Chronic finger or thumb sucking
- Extended pacifier or bottle use
- Orofacial muscular and structural differences
- Genetics
Symptoms :
- Speech distortion, particularly a frontal lisp
- Chronic open mouth positioning
- Dental abnormalities, such as overjet and open bite
- Tongue thrust: when the tongue pushes against or between the teeth during speech or swallowing
Treatments:Each child’s treatment program is different and focuses on:
- Tongue and facial resting postures
- Swallowing
- Speech articulation
Children often need help and encouragement from their family to practice their treatment exercises. You will see the best results when the family works with their child every day.
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