Myo is NOT for babies.
This may be controversial in a world where many think it’s cute to refer to oral motor work for infants as “myo” for babies. Myo is not for babies and it’s never been for babies. But, we do have a tailored therapy just for babies in need!
Maybe you’re an OT or SLP and you’ve taken the deep dive into myofunctional therapy and are now treating clients ages 4 and up. You’re able to assess orofacial myofunctional disorders, create a tailored treatment plan, and treat orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD’s) and you are LOVING IT! Or maybe you’re just entering into the world of OMD’s and curious how this all fits and what your role is, and if myo is for ages 4 and up you wonder, what about the babies? Someone has to help the babies. You see the signs in infants… open mouth posture, high vaulted palate, excessive drooling, reflux, colic, excessive fussiness, difficulty nursing/bottle feeding, clicking on their bottle or when breastfeeding, excessive body tension, and more. You just can’t get them out of your mind.
Can you do myo with them?
No. Myo is not for babies. Myofunctional therapy is for anyone with a cognitive age of 4 and up. In order to participate in myofunctional therapy, they have to be able to follow directions and babies can’t do that yet.
However, all hope is not lost. When we have concerns about a baby’s oral resting posture, nasal breathing, feeding abilities, and other symptoms of an orofacial myofunctional disorder, a feeding evaluation is in order!
We assess all signs and symptoms during a full feeding evaluation and are able to come up with a targeted and tailored treatment plan to get them on track. The best part is? YOU (looking at you speech language pathologists and occupational therapist + respective students) can confidently evaluate and treat babies. It’s within your scope of practice and we have the perfect course for YOU!
If you want to be able to assess and treat infant feeding confidently and competently – Feed The Peds® is the course for you. We even have modules on oral tethers and orofacial myofunctional therapy. Get in now while the doors are open!
