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Speech and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in the Houston Texas area

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Making the connection
Speech and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in the Houston Texas area

Welcome to Sugarland Speech

Myofunctional Therapy

Speech and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in the Houston Texas area

It’s hard to imagine that the position of the tongue can cause issues. However, when the tongue is constantly pressing forward in the mouth, it leads to something called “tongue thrust”. This issue is most common in children but can also occur in adults if not caught soon enough.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy seeks to train and strengthen the orofacial muscles, allowing patients to achieve efficient nasal breathing, proper resting position of the jaw, healthier posture, improved speech, and functional chewing/swallowing oral functions.
Do you have an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?
Symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders can be very obvious or happen over a period of time and be unclear. Certain habits or conditions can interfere with proper actions of orofacial muscles causing OMD. These muscles include cheeks, jaw, lips and tongue. When these muscles function incorrectly due to habits or conditions, it can lead to improper development. This atypical development causes the muscles to have incorrect adaptations and not work in balance which can cause a variety of problems.

Do you suffer from any of the following?

  • Mouth Breathing

  • Orthodontic Relapse

  • Chronic Tension

  • Mood Disorders

  • Jaw Pain

  • Toxic Oral Habits

  • Tongue Thrust

  • Snoring

  • Chronic Headaches

  • Grinding

  • Swallowing Difficulty

  • Poor Posture

  • Sleep Apnea

  • Tongue-Tie

  • Speech Problems

Learn More
It’s hard to imagine that the position of the tongue can cause issues. However, when the tongue is constantly pressing forward in the mouth, it leads to something called “tongue thrust”. This issue is most common in children but can also occur in adults if not caught soon enough.

What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy seeks to train and strengthen the orofacial muscles, allowing patients to achieve efficient nasal breathing, proper resting position of the jaw, healthier posture, improved speech, and functional chewing/swallowing oral functions.
Do you have an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?
Symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders can be very obvious or happen over a period of time and be unclear. Certain habits or conditions can interfere with proper actions of orofacial muscles causing OMD. These muscles include cheeks, jaw, lips and tongue. When these muscles function incorrectly due to habits or conditions, it can lead to improper development. This atypical development causes the muscles to have incorrect adaptations and not work in balance which can cause a variety of problems.

Do you suffer from any of the following?

  • Mouth Breathing

  • Orthodontic Relapse

  • Chronic Tension

  • Mood Disorders

  • Jaw Pain

  • Toxic Oral Habits

  • Tongue Thrust

  • Snoring

  • Chronic Headaches

  • Grinding

  • Swallowing Difficulty

  • Poor Posture

  • Sleep Apnea

  • Tongue-Tie

  • Speech Problems

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Orofacial Myofunctional Services

SPEECH THERAPY

Therapy for correcting sound distortions, increasing receptive and expressive language, and enhancing fluency. I use PROMPT in my therapy sessions.

PRE/POST FRENULUM RELEASE

Preparing individuals for a frenulum release. Connect with airway-centric specialists. Rehabilitation post frenulum release.

MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY

Customized treatment plans targeting oral resting posture, nasal breathing, and swallowing.

EVALUATIONS

All therapies and services begin with an initial consultation or an evaluation.

INFANT FEEDING

Therapy for infant feeding, and improving the breastfeeding dyad.
We evaluate infants for tongue ties

ZOOM CONSULTS

Free 15 min zoom consults. Book your consult click here

Myofunctional Therapy
Goals of the Program

  • Eliminate habits

  • Find resting tongue position
  • Achieve adequate lip seal at rest
  • Find typical pattern of swallowing
  • Have bilateral chewing
  • Correct drinking habits
  • Encourage nasal breathing
  • Establish good head and neck posture

Our Program is appropriate for children, teens and adults. Program goals are individualized and are meant to create new healthy oral habits. The benefit of healthy habits can include nasal breathing, a proper swallow pattern, favorable resting tongue position and preserving orthodontic results from this program.

Positive Impact: With Myofunctional Therapy, a patient can regain the joy of eating, speaking, breathing, and even sleeping more soundly. Cosmetic improvements can help restore confidence and self-esteem. We believe that everyone deserves to be educated about myofuncitonal disorders and treated if they suffer from OMDs. We endeavor to increase awareness of Myofunctional Therapy amongst the medical, dental, and academic communities to support the acceptance and progress of this profession world-wide.

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An Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist will help identify the concerns and educate the patient on why treatment is necessary.

Karen Dulyunan, M.S. CCC-SLP, COM, C/NDT

My name is Karen Dulyunan, and I am an ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and IAOM Certified Orofacial Myologist with over 15 years of experience with communication and Myofunctional disorders.
I work closely with local specialists, such as Pediatricians, Dentists, and Orthodontists to ensure you have the best care in your myofunctional journey towards better orofacial development.
My career started in 2002, when I graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a Master of Science in Communication Disorders. I gained experience in a variety of settings: public schools, early childhood, acute care hospitals, Inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, and private practice. I started my private practice in the Sugar Land area in 2007, and have been here ever since.
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