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130 – Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) for Kids with Dr. Marielly Mitchell
ADHD Thrive Institute
130 - Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) for Kids with Dr. Marielly Mitchell
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Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a superhero therapy that combines simple exercises and techniques to help kids with everything from their speech to their eating habits to their behavior.
But how do you know if your child could benefit from this therapy? What exactly is OMT? What does a session look like? In this episode of the Soaring Child podcast, learn more about Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, or OMT, from special guest Dr. Marielly Michell.
Dr. Mitchell’s innovative approach to OT centered on orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) combines principles of cranial nerve integration, sensory processing, and motor function, allowing her to address neurological and airway dysfunction in infants and children that impact behavior.
She is the founder of Theraplay LA, the first pediatric therapy center to offer comprehensive services that include sleep monitoring in conjunction with virtual and in-clinic occupational, physical, and speech therapy services specializing in sensory processing, motor skills, feeding and swallowing disorders, OMT, nutritional support, and sleep training.
Links Mentioned in the Show:
Thriving with ADHD Book – adhdthriveinstitute.com/book
Grab Your Sleep Disordered Breathing Screener Here – https://www.theraplayla.com/freebies-for-parents
Show Notes
Key Takeaways: [3:58] How OMT can help children with ADHD [8:58] Signs a child might need OMT [14:06] At-home exercises parents can do with their children [18:51] What parents can expect when working with an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist [24:54] Success stories of kids who have been through OMT [30:10] Where to find Dr. Marielly online
Memorable Moments: “Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (which we will refer to as OMT)focuses on…the position of the tongue and where that person puts their tongue. And ideally, everyone should be placing their tongue suctioned to the roof of their mouth behind their 2 front teeth, with their lips sealed and breathing through their nose without tension in their jaw.”
”If your child has a low oral rest posture…basically mouth breathing, then that automatically puts them into a state of fight or flight.”
”When a child is mouth breathing for a long period of time, it will deactivate that area of the brain, and so myofunctional therapy really focuses on facilitating a closed mouth posture and activating the nasal passages and making sure that the person reaches a more ‘rest and digest’ or parasympathetic state.”
”Breathing and sleeping really take a huge toll, and it’s really an abstract silent epidemic that we’re in with this.”
”A really good tip is to always do these exercises in front of a mirror with them so they can get some visual feedback.”
Dive into a unique podcast experience where we explore innovative and natural strategies to support children with ADHD.
The Soaring Child Podcast hosted by Dana Kay, offers you a chance to listen in on conversations that could change the way you think about ADHD management.
As a mother of a child with ADHD, she knows firsthand the struggles that come with parenting a neurodiverse child & the freedom that is possible once parents learn to reduce ADHD symptoms. Dana has been featured in Forbes, on Fox & CBS, & various other online media. She has also been a guest at multiple parenting & ADHD summits & podcasts.
Her goal with the Soaring Child is to give hope & answers to parents of children with ADHD who are looking for alternative (natural) and effective means of helping them learn to thrive at home, at school, and in life.
Because children with ADHD deserve to soar, just like every other child.