Speech Concerns

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Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy & Speech Therapy Are Not the Same

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) and speech-language therapy have different scopes and areas of focus. They can, however, complement one another when a person's speech concerns involve relevant orofacial functional patterns.

When appropriate, OMT can support the orofacial functional foundations involved in speech, including tongue posture, oral motor coordination and awareness of tongue and lip movement.

When speech concerns are present alongside suspected orofacial functional differences, collaboration between an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist and Speech-Language Pathologist can help determine which factors may be contributing to the individual's difficulty.

OMT may help develop tongue elevation, tongue and lip mobility, coordination and control of the tongue's movements within the mouth. These skills may support the precise tongue and lip movements required for certain speech sounds.

You May Have Been Told That Your Child Is Showing Signs of a Motor Speech Difficulty or Motor Speech Disorder

Motor speech difficulties can have different underlying causes and require assessment by an appropriately qualified professional. Some children with speech concerns may also demonstrate orofacial functional differences that are relevant to their overall assessment.

Warning Signs That May Present in a Child

  • Reduced vocabulary

  • Limited repertoire of sounds or voicing errors

  • Groping oral movements when trying to speak

  • Difficulty imitating speech or sounds

  • Difficulty with word order

  • Difficulty being understood while speaking

  • Hyper- or hyposensitivity in the mouth, including sensitivity to textures, objects, foods or tooth brushing

  • Difficulty producing longer speech utterances

  • Vowel and consonant distortions


Does Your Child Have a Lisp?

Certain types of lisps can be associated with tongue posture and other orofacial functional patterns. A frontal or interdental lisp, for example, may involve the tongue moving forward during production of certain sounds.

An assessment can help determine whether tongue posture, oral motor coordination or other functional factors may be contributing to the speech pattern.

Sounds such as /S/, /Z/, /T/, /D/, /N/, /L/, /CH/ and /J/ require precise tongue placement and coordinated movement. When tongue posture or oral motor control is altered, some individuals may have difficulty producing certain sounds accurately.

Do We Need OMT, Speech Therapy, or Both?

Speech concerns can have many different contributing factors. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy and Speech-Language Therapy address different aspects of function, and some individuals may benefit from both.

An OMT evaluation can help identify whether tongue posture, oral motor coordination, swallowing patterns, breathing habits or other orofacial functional factors may be relevant to the concern. When speech-language assessment or treatment is appropriate, we encourage collaboration with a Speech-Language Pathologist.

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How Can Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Help?

OMT focuses on tongue posture, oral motor awareness, coordination and functional movement patterns. When these factors are relevant to a speech concern, OMT may complement speech-language therapy by addressing the orofacial functions that support speech production.

We work collaboratively with Speech-Language Pathologists when appropriate so that speech and orofacial functional concerns can be addressed from the appropriate perspectives.

Book an OMT Evaluation to determine whether Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy may be appropriate for you or your child.