Dear Hallie,
I’m a speech therapist and truly enjoy my line of work, it’s how I first came across your IG. I am very curious about myofunctional therapy. I’ve seen you and other accounts share a lot about it. As a therapist, I’d love to understand what it is, is there a difference between myofunctional therapy and orofacial myofunctional therapy, is it only a passing phase or should I pursue additional education in this field of study?
Signed,
Confused but curious
Hi Confused but curious,
I’m so glad you asked! First of all, glad we connected on social media! Although social media has its’ downfalls, the beauty lies within the ability of it to connect us from all over the globe!
I am thrilled you are seeking out more information about myofunctional therapy. When you’re first dipping your toes into this world, it CAN be very confusing and overwhelming. Myofunctional therapy and orofacial myofunctional therapy are different terms for the same thing. Depending on who is talking about it, you will hear it referred to one or the other, but there is no difference.
Myofunctional therapy treats orofacial myofunctional disorders or OMD’s for short. That includes any issues stemming from the oral facial muscles as they relate to speech, dentition, chewing/bolus collection, and swallowing. We often see symptoms such as mouth breathing, grinding teeth, narrow and/or vaulted palate, misarticulations that are not responding to traditional articulation therapy, lisp, oral habits, and/or oral phase dysphagia.
Myofunctional therapy has been around for over a 118+ years, so NO I don’t think it’s a passing phase!
You may already be doing oral motor work in your clinic so learning and incorporating myofunctional therapy would be a logical next step in that instance in order to level up your practice.
If you’re unsure how to build a practice and if you would have a clientele base who need myofunctional therapy services, I have the perfect solution to help you survey your current clients as well as potential clients. The free F.A.S.T. MYO Screening Packet would be the perfect tool for you! It is a simple & science-backed way to screen your patients for potential orofacial myofunctional disorders.
Once you’ve gathered that data, the logical next step is to enroll in The Myo Method®, our introductory course to orofacial myofunctional therapy, that’s unlike any other course out there. Take the course and start assessing & treating immediately- no lag time or feeling like you don’t know how to implement what you learn from the course!
Are you ready to dive in today? Learn at your own pace as your schedule allows and join us in The Myo Method®! We can’t wait to welcome you to our Myo family!
