Myofunctional therapy

Tongue thrust issues

What is the Tongue Thrust Reflex?
The tongue thrust reflex (also called the extrusion reflex) is an automatic reaction in babies.
It happens when a baby’s tongue pushes forward when something touches or comes near their lips. This is a normal part of development and helps with breastfeeding or bottle-feeding by moving milk to the back of the mouth, so the baby can swallow properly. It also protects babies from swallowing things they shouldn’t.

The tongue thrust reflex starts at birth but becomes more obvious in the first few months. Around four months, it starts to lessen as the baby gains more control over their tongue. By six months, this reflex usually fades as the baby’s facial muscles and coordination improve.

Factors like the shape of the baby’s mouth, the strength of their mouth muscles, and how often they feed can affect how this reflex develops.

Sometimes this reflex lasts long than six months. One common reason for a longer-lasting reflex is delaying the introduction of solid foods. Sticking to purees for too long can slow down your baby’s mouth development.

Impact on speech development

Sucking habits

Structural issues

The tongue thrust reflex is important for speech development. If the reflex stays strong, it can affect how a baby makes sounds and words. The tongue needs to touch the roof of the mouth or just behind the teeth to make certain sounds like "t", "d", "n", "s", "z", "l", and "sh". If the reflex continues, the tongue might push forward or between the teeth instead of lifting, which can change how sounds are pronounced. For example, "s" may sound like "th", so "thumb" could sound like "sum".

Babies who use dummies or suck their thumb a lot can develop habits that make the tongue push forward more. This repeated sucking can make it harder for the reflex to go away on its own.

Mouth breathing

How can Myofunctional therapy help?

Breathing through the mouth can make the tongue thrust worse. If a child breathes mostly through their mouth, their tongue might rest lower in their mouth, pressing against their teeth. This can keep the reflex going as they get older. Mouth breathing can happen because of stuffy noses or food allergies, and it can lead to dental problems like pushing the teeth outward. It can also affect speech and chewing.

Myofunctional therapy is a treatment that helps fix tongue thrust by retraining the muscles around the mouth. It works to correct bad habits that cause tongue thrust.

Our therapists teach exercises to improve how our clients swallow, how their tongue rests, and how their mouth works in general.

Myofunctional therapy also addresses issues like breathing through the mouth or incorrect tongue positions. Over time, it helps people develop healthier habits for their mouth, improving overall oral health and fixing tongue thrust issues.

Certain problems like a high palate or lip/tongue tie can change how the tongue moves and affects the reflex.