video1.0<iframe src="https://www.loom.com/embed/d27307c1021c41b0a9d7012524527252" frameborder="0" width="1920" height="1440" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>14401920Loomhttps://www.loom.com14401920https://cdn.loom.com/sessions/thumbnails/d27307c1021c41b0a9d7012524527252-9ee8817dd190ad5f.gif3891.676The meeting covered myofunctional therapy across the lifespan—early infancy interventions (feeding, latch, posture), school-age speech implications of muscle imbalance, and adult myofunctional care for airway stability and pain. Presenters emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration (myo, ENT/allergist, orthodontics, release providers, bodywork) and prepping patients with myofunctional therapy prior to structural interventions (releases, expansion) to optimize outcomes. Next steps: referrals and coordinated care pathways, offering follow-up resources and a sleep medicine session next month. ### Housekeeping and scope 0:00 - Airway Collaborative meeting logistics and housekeeping notes presented by Amanda Arts-Zerbini. - Meeting focus announced: speech and myofunctional therapy with three presenters. - Attendees advised to check airway awareness page for events and presenter opportunities; mics muted, cameras on, questions reserved for end. ### Early infancy to toddler myofunctional therapy (chelsea madison) 1:37 - Chelsea outlined practice focus on infancy through three years, combining hands-on therapy with parent education to change developmental trajectory rather than provide temporary compensation. - Zero to six months: focus on feeding/latch coordination, body tension, oral restrictions (lip/tongue ties), and regulation of breathing and sleep. - Six to twelve months: transition to parent-led movement integration, monitor airway and breathing patterns, target difficulties transitioning to solids and chronic congestion. - One to two years: increased functional play, parent-guided exercises, growth monitoring and development tracking. - Two to three years: mix of parent-led and independent work depending on cognitive stage; aim to reduce dysfunctional movement and breathing, improve muscle balance, and begin retention of new patterns. - Three-plus years: commence modified or comprehensive therapy when developmentally appropriate; focus on muscle patterns, compensations, and retention for long-term stability. - Key red flags identified: open-mouth posture, low tongue posture, mouth breathing, delayed oral motor development, chronic congestion, sleep disturbances, and facial growth concerns. - Long-term goals: establish nasal breathing, optimal tongue posture, facial growth support, feeding and functional improvements, and empower families with education and self-management. ### Speech therapy integrated with myofunctional approaches (karen galway) 19:06 - Karen described combining myofunctional therapy and speech therapy, noting that many speech sound disorders stem from muscle imbalance. - Emphasized jaw stability, tongue-lip-jaw dissociation, and interlingual differentiation as foundational for articulation; targeted sounds often affected include S, Z, SH, CH, J, L, R. - Highlighted connection between swallowing patterns and articulation; tongue-thrust swallow and inefficient chewing correlate with speech issues. - Recommended myofunctional assessment for persistent articulation issues and stressed that myofunctional work accelerates speech gains by avoiding compensations. - Advocated for interdisciplinary team involvement: orthodontists (expansion), release providers (ties), allergists, bodywork, and primitive reflex integration when present. - Presented brief multimedia examples demonstrating tongue-palate contact and jaw-tongue differentiation for speech production. ### Adult myofunctional therapy, tmj and airway stability (allison savage) 33:25 - Allison described adult presentations: orthodontic relapse, snoring/sleep apnea, tongue-tie concerns, and chronic pain (TMJ, neck, shoulders, headaches). - Defined the stomatognathic system and outlined pillars of healthy oral rest posture: tongue on the palate, lips sealed, slight tooth separation, and nasal breathing. - Therapy stages: ensure nasal breathing, build muscular foundation with isometric/isotonic exercises, deprogram compensatory patterns, and progress to habituation/maintenance. - Identified barriers to success: insufficient tongue space, tethered oral tissues, compromised nasal airway, postural recruitment, unintegrated primitive reflexes, unaddressed trauma, and poor patient adherence. - Emphasized collaboration with orthodontics, ENT/allergists, release specialists, and bodywork; myofunctional therapy as 'soft-tissue insurance' to stabilize structural interventions. - Shared outcome examples where myofunctional therapy improved bite, posture, sleep, and pain, and noted research showing myofunctional therapy can reduce AHI in adults. ### Questions, clinical considerations and closing 55:50 - Q&A: Nick Miller asked about prognosis for tongue-tie release in older adults; presenters advised guarded prognosis due to lifelong craniofacial adaptation and recommended myofunctional therapy before/after release to minimize airway risks. - Panel consensus: prepare patients with myofunctional therapy first, evaluate need for expansion or space creation before releases, and tailor interventions to patient goals and tolerance for structural procedures. - Practical notes: functional releases have been performed in older adults with myofunctional training; similar preparation approaches can be adapted for children with staged motor-pattern training and, when needed, topical anesthesia to practice motor patterns. - Administrative closing: presenters shared contact emails, encouraged cross-practice coordination, announced next month's session on sleep medicine, and confirmed recording will be posted to Facebook and the airway collaborative page.