Let’s talk about tongues and oral rest position — why it’s important and how to help improve it if our kiddos are struggling with speech clarity.
Yes, where our tongue hangs out in our mouth is VERY important for many reasons: clarity of speech, facial development, breathing, digestion, and so much more! So today, I wanted to talk about the optimal spot in our mouths for our tongue to rest when not speaking, eating, drinking, etc. Because where our tongue rests matters a lot.
Let’s take a look at this exercise that will help get your tongue where it’s supposed to be:
Additional Resources:
–Washington Post article on ADHD and sleep (tying into nose breathing impacting quality of sleep)
–Information about the vagus nerve
For more on a proper oral rest position and why it matters, check out these blog posts:
–Oral Rest Position: A Key to Strong Speech
–Oral Rest Position and Excessive Habits (like Thumb Sucking!)
–Oral Rest Position and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
For an exercise to improve oral rest position, speech clarity, and so much more, check out this exercise:
–EXERCISE: Hide Lips
If your kiddo is struggling with speech clarity (or you see their mouth open, tongue hanging out a lot, or more mouth breathing than not) and you’re wondering if it’s a problem or not sure what to do, hop on my calendar for a free brainstorming session and we’ll take a look. Click here to schedule a time.
And if you know a parent who wants to help their child improve their speech because it’s taking a toll on their social life and academics? Share this blog post. It just might be the help they need today. ❤️