When I think of patients who make my heart extra proud I think of Aiden! In just 6 short months, I have watched Aiden transform from a young boy who always breathed with his mouth open and tongue hanging out into a young man with impeccable upright posture and silent nasal breathing!
Aiden is an extremely smart and bright boy. He just needed some extra support implementing healthy, new habits. Aiden knew he wanted to breathe through his nose but wasn't sure how.
When I met Aiden, he was a chronic mouth breather who often sat with slumped shoulders and forward head posture. His was open with his tongue resting between his teeth while he mouth breathed. Aiden also had trouble with his /s/, /z/ and /th/ sounds, despite years of being told that they'd eventually correct. The reason these sounds were so tricky to produce was because his tongue wasn't used to resting behind his teeth, the spot where all of those sounds are correctly produced.
Within just a few short months of Myofunctional Therapy, Aiden completely transformed! He went from mouth breathing during all hours of the day to exclusive nasal breathing. He went from sitting slumped on the couch to eat meals to sitting upright at the table to eat meals. Friends and family remark that he "looks more grown up" and has "really matured." He's much easier to understand too, because his /s/, /z/ and /th/ sounds have all corrected! A huge part of Aiden's success is due to his mom and dad's deep commitment to remind him of all the new healthy habits that we've worked on in therapy (e.g. sitting up straight during meals, nose breathing when he uses screens, resting his tongue on the palate, keeping his tongue behind his teeth when he swallows etc.)
I could not be more proud of Aiden's incredible dedication and hard work!!! His new, healthy habits will serve his body's growth, development and function for many many years to come!
To learn more about Myofunctional Therapy: daniellekleeslp.com/orofacial...
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