#7381 Oral Habits- Targeting the Root Cause – Webinar

There are several types of prolonged oral habits which can be harmful to the individual’s mouth and overall health. Such oral habits can include thumb sucking, tongue sucking, prolonged pacifier use, blanket sucking, nail biting.

Sucking is a reflex that is present during utero and should integrate by 6 months of age. Therefore sucking habits should be eliminated by this age and sucking that persists after 6 months of age should not be considered developmentally appropriate. There are several possible root causes for prolonged sucking habits. It is vital to determine why the individual is engaging in a noxious oral habit and target that underlying root cause. There are several consequences of prolonged oral habits, which have negative impacts on the individuals dentition, palate, airway, speech, and orofacial development.

Myofunctional therapy can support the elimination of oral habits. Myofunctional therapy helps to strengthen the orofacial muscles, correct/eliminate oral habits, correct the function of the tongue and facial muscles at rest, for swallowing, and for speaking. There are also often potential referrals necessary to providers such as the ENT, pediatric dentist, orthodontist, and oral surgeon. Course instruction method includes: lecture, case studies, videos, question/answer session.

Instructor: Janine Stiene-Cline MA CCC-SLP TSHH and Toni-Ann Antoniato, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC