Following our recent post on what oral rest position is and why it matters for speech (and facial development!), today we’re going to talk about some common habits that can impact a proper oral rest position, though not for the better.
Anyone have a kiddo who sucks (or used to suck) their thumb? Or perhaps they sucked a different finger, their tongue or hair, or something like a pencil. Yup, thumb+ sucking is a relatively common habit.
Now, if it happens for a short period of time, it’s not a big deal. However, if such a habit is prolonged (or becomes excessive), it can affect the normal development of a child’s dental arches or position of their teeth. In turn, this can lead to a poor oral rest position, a type of orofacial myofunctional disorder, which can impact not only their ability to speak clearly (and how their face develops), but ultimately their predominant method of breathing — leading to more mouth breathing (rather than through the nose) — which can further impact their development (and may be related to a greater risk of ADHD). So a habit like thumb sucking? Beyond the germ factor, it’s not the type of habit to keep for the long run.
Wondering about a thumb sucking (or other) oral habit that might not be serving your kiddo? We’re here to help. Schedule a complimentary consult with Kolby here: