SpeechPathology.com Phone: 800-242-5183


Epic Special Education Staffing - April 2023

Tongue Thrust and Orthodontics

Dee Lance, Ph.D

June 4, 2007

Share:

Question

At what point do you not treat tongue thrust? I saw a 10 year old who was referred because her orthodontist does not want to put braces on her because of a tongue thrust. Her background includes no history of thumbsucking/pacfiier/tubes/ear infections/sw

Answer

Oral myofunctional disorders or tongue thrust has been associated with articulation disorders, increased sore throats, and upper respiratory problems. It also is connected with prolonged orthodontia and problems wearing dentures in older adults. Therefore, there are many reasons why we should be involved in the remediation of myofunctional disorders. According to ASHA's (1991) practice guidelines this disorder is within in our scope of practice to treat, and we have evidence to support the efficacy of such treatment. Furthermore, treatment does not require the presence of articulation problems. I am sure you are aware; there are wonderful treatment protocols on the market that will help with both the mechanical components of a "correct swallow" and the behavioral components retraining the tongue and lips.

So at what point to we not treat this disorder? As I read your question, I could not help but wonder if your client has ever been in myofunctional treatment before, especially since her outward symptoms are negligible? If she has, then I would probably provide her with treatment, but would be sure to use a different program than the one previously tried. If she has not, then I would start treatment with her. The reason I would provide treatment is because the orthodontist thinks that the presence of a tongue thrust will have a negative impact on the dental corrections that are planned. Based on the description of the client you provided I would say that she does need work with maintaining proper position. I provided a link to the ASHA's practice guidelines on the ASHA website.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (1991). The role of the speech-language pathologist in management of oral myofunctional disorders. ASHA, 33(Suppl. 5), 7.

www.asha.org/members/deskref-journals/deskref/DRVol3.htm#ps

Dee M. Lance is an associate professor at the University of Central Arkansas. She has worked with school-age children for 18 years and teaches courses in the areas of child language and phonology.


Dee Lance, Ph.D


Related Courses

Treatment Approach Considerations for School-Aged Children with Speech Sound Disorders
Presented by Kathryn Cabbage, PhD, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Kathryn Cabbage, PhD, CCC-SLP
Course: #9472Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'Knowledgeable presenter who provided a lot of evidenced based material'   Read Reviews
This course will address the theoretical underpinnings and research base related to differential diagnosis and treatment of articulation and phonological deficits in children with speech sound disorders. Special considerations for how to tailor evaluation and intervention to meet the needs of school-age children will be discussed.

20Q: Dynamics of School-Based Speech and Language Therapy Variables
Presented by Kelly Farquharson, PhD, CCC-SLP, Anne Reed, MS, CCC-SLP
Text

Presenters

Kelly Farquharson, PhD, CCC-SLPAnne Reed, MS, CCC-SLP
Course: #10002Level: Advanced1 Hour
  'great information'   Read Reviews
This course reviews dynamics of speech and language therapy variables such as session frequency, intervention intensity, and dosage, and how these are impacted by different service delivery models. It discusses how therapy outcomes are related to therapy quality, IEP goals, and SLP-level variables such as job satisfaction and caseload size.

Sleuthing for /s/ and /r/: Facilitating Strategies for Residual Sound Errors
Presented by Lynn Berk, MA, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Lynn Berk, MA, CCC-SLP
Course: #9237Level: Introductory2 Hours
  'Instructor is clearly very knowledgeable'   Read Reviews
This course will discuss the rationale and strategies for teaching production of /s/ and /r/ for upper elementary school-age children and older. Errors on these two sounds are considered residual when production continues to be inaccurate beyond the developmental age of acquisition.

/R/: What You Want to Know RIGHT NOW
Presented by Angie Neal, MS, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Angie Neal, MS, CCC-SLP
Course: #10018Level: Introductory0.5 Hours
  'This presenter is so great! I can apply all of these strategies immediately and have examples to share with parents'   Read Reviews
This 30-minute Fast Class describes the most important method for eliciting /r/, discusses the fastest way to generalize /r/ and achieve automaticity, and explores several troubleshooting strategies. While there is much more to know about /r/, this is the “quick and dirty" version to achieve success.

/r/ Therapy - Part 1
Presented by Angie Neal, MS, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Angie Neal, MS, CCC-SLP
Course: #9523Level: Introductory1.5 Hours
  'Great start to learning about /r/ from the beginning'   Read Reviews
This is Part 1 of a two-part series that will provide SLPs with a solid understanding of why /r/ is a complex phoneme to master, and how to achieve successful remediation. This session will discuss anatomical contributions to /r/’s complexity, its impact on academic performance, and factors that affect therapy outcomes. Differences between non-speech oromotor exercises (NSOME) and skill training for /r/ therapy will also be discussed.

Our site uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.