Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders in Lake Charles
You have been told the open mouth, the messy eating, the lisp and the restless sleep are all separate things he will grow out of. They are usually one thing. Our owner is a Certified Orofacial Myologist, and an evaluation here tells you which one.
What causes orofacial myofunctional disorders?
An orofacial myofunctional disorder is a pattern, not a diagnosis you outgrow. The tongue, lips and jaw are muscles, and they learn whatever position they repeat. When something interferes early, a restricted frenulum, a blocked nose, a habit that lasted too long, the system settles into a workaround that then shapes chewing, swallowing, speech, sleep and even how the jaw grows. Finding the original interference is what makes the rest treatable.
The frenulum is the band of tissue under the tongue. When it is short or attached too far forward, the tongue cannot lift to the roof of the mouth, sweep the cheeks clear, or reach the positions certain speech sounds require. Every other pattern on this page can grow out of that one restriction. The release itself is a dental or medical procedure done elsewhere, and the tongue still has to be taught what to do with the new range.
A tight upper lip attachment stops the lip from flanging out to seal around a nipple or bottle. Feeds get long, loud and tiring, the baby clicks or leaks milk, and weight gain slows while a parent is told to keep trying. It is a common reason families reach us in the first weeks of life.
At rest the tongue should sit lightly against the roof of the mouth with the lips sealed. When it sits low on the floor of the mouth instead, the palate loses the gentle upward pressure that helps guide its width, and the mouth hangs open. Resting posture is what myofunctional therapy targets hardest, because the tongue holds that position far more hours a day than it spends talking or eating.
Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, allergies or persistent congestion can make nose breathing genuinely hard, so the mouth takes over. Once it stays open, the tongue drops out of the way and the lips lose their seal, and the pattern is locked in. Restless sleep, snoring and daytime fatigue often travel with it. The airway has to be managed medically, and we will tell you plainly when that referral needs to happen first.
A mature swallow lifts the tongue up and back. A tongue thrust pushes it forward against or between the teeth instead, hundreds of times a day. It shows up as messy eating, food left in the cheeks, a lisp on s and z sounds, and orthodontic work that relapses after the braces come off. Retraining the swallow stops the force that caused it.
Sucking is normal in infancy. Continuing well past it keeps an object where the tongue should be resting, and the sustained pressure gradually changes the shape of the palate and where the front teeth sit. Removing the object rarely fixes what it left behind, because the tongue has spent years learning a low, forward home. Habit elimination and posture retraining are done together.
How myofunctional therapy in Lake Charles helps.
This is the part of our clinic we are known for. Sonya Brooks, our owner, is a speech pathologist and a Certified Orofacial Myologist, and Taylor Dunn has continuing education in orofacial myology. Myofunctional therapy is exercise, just for muscles most people never think about training. We assess the tongue, lips, jaw and frenulum, measure resting posture, and watch a real swallow. The program is then graded like any strength program: the tongue learns to find the correct position, hold it under load, then carry it into chewing, swallowing and speech until it is automatic.
What we do not do is work around a problem that needs another provider. If the nasal airway is obstructed, a frenulum needs releasing, or orthodontic work is part of the picture, we say so and coordinate with whoever does that piece. Feeding and sensory concerns get handled alongside, since our speech, feeding and occupational therapy teams are in the same building rather than three appointments across town. Sessions are one-on-one and the parent is in the room learning the home practice, because the daily repetitions are what change a resting posture.
What to expect from therapy.
First, the practical questions. Our front office verifies your benefits, deductible and visit limits before the first appointment and tells you what your plan requires for a myofunctional evaluation, so you know what you will owe before you walk in. Sessions run 30 to 60 minutes, usually two to three times a week for four to six weeks to start, and many families notice a change in resting posture or in how a feed goes within the first few weeks. Louisiana is a direct access state, so no physician referral is needed to begin physical therapy here if a therapist recommends it.
Evaluation
We look inside the mouth: frenulum attachment, tongue range and strength, lip seal, jaw movement, resting posture, and a real swallow with real food or a real feed. We ask about sleep, breathing, allergies and any dental history. You leave with a plain explanation of the pattern and whether another provider needs to be involved first.
Building the pattern
Early sessions teach the tongue where home is and build the strength to hold it there. The exercises are short, specific and repeated daily, and the parent learns them in the room so home practice is done correctly. Progress is measured in seconds held and range gained.
Making it automatic
The new posture gets carried into everything that uses it: chewing, drinking, swallowing, speech sounds and lips sealed at rest. Habits get eliminated in this phase rather than before it, so nothing is taken away without something better in place. We discharge when the pattern holds without cueing.
Hope therapy has been such a blessing to my littles! My daughter went for a tongue and lip tie. Sonya was amazing with her AND with me. She was patient and walked us through every step.
These rarely show up alone.
Swallowing & Feeding Therapy
Latching, chewing and swallowing difficulty from the first weeks of life.
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TMJ & TMD
Jaw pain, clicking and clenching often share a cause with a myofunctional pattern.
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Speech & Sound Disorders
When a tongue cannot reach a position, the sounds that need it are the first to slip.
Learn More →