Orofacial Myology for Speech Support.

Common questions about orofacial myology for speech support

Do I still need speech therapy if I do this?

Yes — we recommend continuing your work with your SLP. Myofunctional therapy addresses the muscle side; speech therapy addresses the sound production side. They work together.

My child has a tongue-tie. Will this help with their speech?

It can — particularly in coordination with the tongue-tie release and ongoing speech therapy. We work as a team with your SLP and release provider.

How long until I see results?

Most patients see measurable improvement in resting tongue posture and oral motor tone within 8–12 weeks. Articulation changes typically follow as the new posture stabilizes.

Do you work with adults?

Yes — articulation patterns with a muscle-tone component affect adults too. We work with adults who have had persistent articulation issues, often related to tongue-tie or mouth-breathing patterns.

What is orofacial myology for speech?

Orofacial myology (also called orofacial myofunctional therapy or OMT) is a specialty that addresses the muscle and posture side of speech production. Speech-language pathologists work on sound production, language, and communication; orofacial myologists work on the resting position of the tongue, the tone of the lips and cheeks, the swallow-breath coordination, and the oral-motor patterns that support clear sound production. For many articulation issues — particularly persistent lisp, distorted /r/ and /s/ sounds, and patterns that have not resolved with speech therapy alone — the underlying issue is on the muscle side, and OMT is the right complement.

How do I find a speech therapist in Louisville, KY?

There are many excellent speech-language pathologists in the Louisville area — at hospitals, private practices, schools, and university clinics. For an orofacial-myology approach specifically, 502 MYO in Louisville works with adults and children whose SLP has identified a muscle or posture component to their speech difficulty. We can also recommend SLPs in the Louisville, Bardstown, and Elizabethtown areas who are experienced in coordinating with myofunctional therapy. Call (502) 901-8089 if you would like a recommendation.

My child's SLP mentioned "oral motor" — what does that mean?

Oral motor refers to the movement and coordination of the muscles in and around the mouth — the tongue, lips, cheeks, jaw. Speech requires precise oral-motor coordination. When the underlying oral-motor pattern is off — low tongue posture, weak lip seal, atypical swallow — speech sound production can be affected. Orofacial myology (OMT) targets these underlying oral-motor patterns, while speech therapy targets the sound production. Both are usually needed for full progress.

Can OMT help with a lisp?

Often yes. A lisp — particularly an interdental lisp where the tongue pushes forward between the teeth during /s/ and /z/ sounds — is frequently related to a tongue thrust swallow pattern and low resting tongue posture. OMT addresses the underlying posture and swallow, which then supports the sound production work your SLP is doing. Many children see meaningful improvement in their lisp within 3-6 months of coordinated SLP + OMT work.

Do you work with adults who stutter?

OMT is not a primary treatment for stuttering, which has a different neurological basis than muscle-and-posture-driven articulation patterns. However, many adults who stutter also have oral-motor or posture patterns that contribute to secondary struggles, and we sometimes coordinate with SLPs to address those alongside primary stuttering treatment. If you are interested, the best first step is a Comprehensive Myofunctional Evaluation so we can understand your specific pattern.