Airway Health

From the first breath

Within the first 10 seconds of birth, a baby takes its first breath.

During infancy, the suck/swallow action of the tongue, mouth, and surrounding facial muscles during breast/chestfeeding all act together to develop and encourage forward facial growth. This is paramount in promoting a healthy airway.

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We understand breast/chestfeeding is not for everyone. As a 6-month-old infant becomes a toddler, there are non-choking hazard chew toys to help promote proper airway development. Instilling good habits will benefit the individual for the rest of their life. To learn more click on the Youtube video How a Baby's Mouth is Specially Formed to Help Breastfeeding.

As children grow, proper breathing is essential to their health, development, and educational success. Early detection and correction of airway problems are integral to optimizing this fundamental and critical physiology. Airway screenings can be done by your local myofunctional therapist, trained dentists, orthodontist, registered dental hygienists, speech-language pathologists, and ear, nose, and throat doctors. Left unnoticed or untreated, these babies turn into symptomatic teens and adults.

Compromised Airway Symptoms for Tongue Tied Infants

• Difficulty latching properly

• Milk spills out the sides of mouth

• Excessive spit up

• Seen as a fussy baby

• Gassy

• Slow feeder

• Mouth breathing

• Cat napper

• Clicking noise when feeding

Compromised Airway Symptoms for Toddlers to Adulthood

• Dark circles under eyes

• Lower concentration skills

• No space between primary teeth

• Tongue tie

• Hyperactivity ADD/ADHD

• Poor academic performance

• Emotional regulation

• Enlarged adenoids and tonsils

• Frequent infections

• Behavioral issues

• Recessed lower jaws

• Anxiety/depression

• Panic attacks

• Crooked teeth

• Daytime clenching

• Jaw jutting

Be Proactive!

A compromised airway can manifest as any of the symptoms listed above, however more often than not, the airway tends to get overlooked. The act of breathing with proper oxygen fuels our brain and body which are essential to sustaining our lives. We often hear the philosophy, "let's wait and see." If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, why wait?

At Breathing Essentials Myofunctional Therapy, we truly believe that airway health is one of the key missing pieces of the medical/dental world. Why are we seeing so many issues arising in children and adults? Identifying symptoms of a compromised airway at a young age will help facilitate a better adult life.