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Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Helping children breathe, sleep, eat and speak with confidence.

Does your child breathe through their mouth, snore at night, struggle with chewing, drool excessively, have a tongue tie, or find certain foods difficult? Many parents don’t realise these challenges can be connected.

The way a child breathes, rests their tongue, chews, swallows and uses the muscles of the face and mouth can influence speech, feeding, sleep, facial growth and overall wellbeing. We provide OMT for children across the Central Coast.

A young child with their mouth open and tongue out during oral function therapy
About

What is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?

OMT is a specialised therapy that focuses on improving how the muscles of the face, lips, tongue and jaw work together. These muscles play an important role in breathing, eating and drinking, chewing, swallowing, speech production, sleep quality, and jaw and facial development.

When these muscles are not functioning efficiently, children may develop habits or patterns that affect their growth and development. OMT uses fun, child-friendly exercises and activities to help children develop healthier oral function and more efficient movement patterns.

When to seek support

Signs Your Child May Benefit

Many families are referred for one concern, only to discover several areas are connected.

Breathing & sleep

Mouth breathing day or night
Sleeping with an open mouth
Snoring or restless sleep
Daytime tiredness
Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
Chronic nasal congestion

Feeding & eating

Difficulty chewing food properly
Swallowing difficulties
Fussy eating or texture avoidance
Prolonged mealtimes
Open-mouth chewing
Food pocketing or limited diet

Speech

Lisping
Tongue thrust
Unclear speech
Speech sound difficulties
Delayed speech development

Oral function

Tongue tie or lip tie
High arched palate
Drooling beyond the toddler years
Low oral muscle tone
Poor tongue posture
Open mouth posture

Oral habits

Thumb sucking
Dummy use beyond toddler years
Nail biting
Prolonged bottle use

Ear, nose & throat

Recurring ear infections
Multiple sets of grommets
Recurrent tonsillitis
Ongoing ENT concerns

If several of these sound familiar, an assessment can help determine whether oral function is contributing to your child’s difficulties.

Why it matters

Why Oral Function Matters

Many parents are surprised to learn that the way a child breathes can influence facial growth and jaw development, sleep quality, feeding skills, speech development, attention and concentration, oral health and overall wellbeing.

For example, children who mouth breathe may struggle to maintain appropriate tongue posture, which can influence chewing, swallowing, speech and facial growth over time. By addressing these patterns early, we can help support healthier development.

Our approach

Our OMT Approach

Child-friendly and engaging
Evidence-informed
Family-centred
Individualised
Focused on long-term functional outcomes

We work closely with families and may collaborate with functional dentists, orthodontists, ENT specialists, lactation consultants, nutritionists and other allied health professionals.

What to expect

What Happens During OMT?

1

Initial Assessment

A comprehensive Orofacial Myofunctional Assessment where we:

Review your concerns and goals
Assess breathing patterns and oral motor skills
Evaluate tongue function and posture
Assess chewing and swallowing
Review speech and feeding history
Identify oral habits and develop a plan
2

Therapy Sessions

Tailored to your child and may include:

Tongue exercises and lip strengthening
Breathing retraining
Swallowing and chewing skill development
Habit elimination programmes
Oral awareness activities
Parent coaching and home support
Programmes

Mini Myo & Kids Myo Programmes

Mini Myo (≈ 18 months – 5 years)

For younger children who need support with:

Mouth breathing
Dummy use & thumb sucking
Feeding difficulties
Oral motor development
Tongue and lip ties

Kids Myo (≈ 5–12 years)

For older children requiring support with:

Oral habits
Tongue thrust
Breathing patterns
Speech clarity
Swallowing patterns
Orthodontic preparation or support
Related support

Supporting the Whole Child

Many children receiving OMT also benefit from additional services:

Feeding Therapy

Supporting children who experience feeding difficulties, fussy eating, food refusal, gagging or stressful mealtimes.

Speech & Language Therapy

Helping children understand language, use words, combine sentences and communicate more confidently.

Early Intervention Speech Therapy

Supporting babies, toddlers and preschool children during the most important years of development.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech / Verbal Dyspraxia

Specialised support for children who know what they want to say but find it hard to plan and coordinate the movements needed for clear speech.

Parent Training & Education

Practical coaching to help parents support communication, feeding, emotional regulation and development at home.

Autism & Neurodiversity Support

Neuroaffirming support focused on communication, connection, play, regulation and participation.

Why early support

Why Early Support Matters

Many oral function difficulties become more noticeable as children grow. Early intervention may help:

Improve breathing patterns
Support healthy facial development
Improve chewing and swallowing skills
Enhance speech clarity
Improve sleep quality
Reduce oral habits
Support feeding success
Potentially reduce future orthodontic concerns
Why RTC

Why Families Choose RTC Speech Pathology

Specialised Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Individualised therapy plans
Family-centred support
Collaboration with medical and dental professionals
Extensive training in oral function and feeding
Practical strategies that fit into everyday life
Where we work

Areas We Support Across the Central Coast

Tumbi Umbi · Erina · Gosford · Terrigal · Tuggerah
Woy Woy · Wyong · Berkeley Vale · Killarney Vale · and surrounding communities

Telehealth appointments may also be available for families across NSW where appropriate.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

If your child mouth breathes, snores, drools excessively, has feeding difficulties, struggles with chewing, has a tongue tie, or has chronic ear infections or tonsillitis, an assessment may be beneficial.

Yes. OMT is often recommended before and after tongue tie release to help improve tongue mobility, oral function and long-term outcomes.

Yes. In some children, tongue posture, oral muscle function and swallowing patterns may contribute to speech difficulties.

OMT cannot guarantee orthodontic outcomes, but improving oral function may support healthier facial growth and oral development.

Yes. We offer programmes tailored to different ages and developmental stages.

Get started

Concerned About Your Child’s Breathing, Feeding or Oral Development?

You don’t have to wait until problems become bigger. If you’re concerned about mouth breathing, snoring, tongue ties, feeding difficulties, speech clarity or oral habits, we’re here to help.