Our guest today is Claire Duque, a Myofunctional Therapist & Occupational Therapist. Before being trained in myofunctional therapy, Claire served the adult population as an occupational therapist. Having a child with airway issues ignited her passion for this space and her desire to help kids and their futures.

Claire believes that sleep and breathing are the cornerstones of health for a child. Claire is particularly passionate about early intervention and the role orofacial dysfunction plays in a child's behavior, sensory system, health, immunity, allergies, and cognitive development. Treatment includes comprehensive assessment and evaluation, muscle training and exercises, and retraining in breathing, nasal breathing, tongue posture, and tongue thrust.

You can read Claire’s full story in her own words in a guest blog she did with CAFF here: Link to Claire's Blog Post.

Show Notes:

• Claire Duque on Instagram
• Claire's Blog Post on Her Son's Airway Journey

My guest today is Mallory Roberts--- a Speech Pathologist trained in craniosacral therapy, myo-functional therapy, and infant massage. She is particularly interested in infant reflux, infant oral development, and bottle feeding.

Through her professional work and due to the lack of support during her own babies’ feeding journeys, she created The Feeding Mom. Here, she empowers parents through their feeding journeys locally and worldwide. Her philosophy is that every parent deserves to love feeding their baby.

You can learn more about Mallory at thefeedingmom.com.

Show Notes:

• Mallory Roberts
• The Feeding Mom on Instagram
• Infant into Toddlerhood Oral Play Guide, from The Feeding Mom
• Craniosacral and Movement Techniques for Parents, from The Feeding Mom
• Feeding Support Guide, from The Feeding Mom
• Dr. Steven Hall

My guest today is Jordan Rusk, BS, RPSGT, CCSH. As the Program Director at Lone Star College-Kingwood and an RPSGT, her work revolves around advancing healthcare education in sleep medicine and providing career opportunities for individuals with a passion for healthcare and helping others.

At Texas Children's Hospital, Jordan's role as a Sleep Educator involved formulating a comprehensive training program to enhance the onboarding experience for sleep lab staff. This initiative underlines her commitment to medical education and the utilization of my expertise in both adult and pediatric sleep medicine to contribute to the betterment of our healthcare system.

You can learn more about Jordan via her LinkedIn profile here.

Show Notes:

• Jordan Rusk, BS, RPSGT, CCSH
• Sleep Education Consortium
• Texas Society of Sleep Professionals

My guest today is Dmitry Spektor, RPSGT, CCSH. Dmitry is a registered sleep technologist with over 20 years of experience in all aspects of sleep disorder medicine, sleep research, and clinical trials.

He is the Sleep Lab Operations Manager for Pediatric Sleep Specialists in Texas (offices available in Texas and Colorado). Previously, he was the Lead Sleep Technologist for Memorial Hermann Hospital and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

You can learn more about Dmitry via his LinkedIn profile here.

Show Notes

• Dmitry Spektor, RPSGT, CCSH
• Pediatric Sleep Specialists
• Texas Society of Sleep Professionals

My guest today is Jatin Tekchandani, recently elected Vice President of the Texas Society of Sleep Professionals, who is a multifaceted expert in sleep medicine and data analytics. With a diverse background spanning polysomnography, engineering, and leadership roles, his career encompasses diagnosis, therapy development, and cutting-edge research.

Starting as a night technologist, Jatin worked his way up through hands-on experience, earning prestigious credentials from the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists, the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic Technologists, the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and the Computing Technology Industry Association. He also holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston.

Jatin's passion lies in empowering sleep technologists with the clinical and technical strategies needed to excel in diagnosing and treating patients using the latest technologies. As a researcher and trainer, he is at the forefront of advancing sleep medicine through data-driven insights and innovative approaches. With his unique blend of technical expertise, leadership acumen, and commitment to professional development, Jatin is a driving force in shaping the future of sleep technology and fostering excellence in the field.

You can learn more about JT and the Texas Society of Sleep Professionals at txssp.org.

Show Notes

• Jatin Tekchandani, MSBME, R. EEG T., RPSGT
• Texas Society of Sleep Professionals

My guest today is mom of three, Jenny Gay. Jenny and her family have been on an airway journey that includes all three of her sons and herself.

In this episode, Jenny shares her ups and downs, tips, and many of the resources she has found along the way. She hopes this information will help other parents in their own airway journeys with their children.

Show Notes

• Dr. George Rivera, DDS: Website
• CAFF Facebook Group: The Airway Huddle
• CAFF Recommended Reading List
• Myofunctional Therapist: Kristen Miller
• Vivos Guide
• IBLCE

Show Notes:

Throughout the episode, Dr. Mitchell mentions several resources that may be useful for both parents and medical professionals. This blog post is dedicated on providing all of that supporting material:

• TherePlay LA - Dr. Marielly Mitchell's website
• MyoMunchee
• Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor
• ALF Appliance/Orthodontics
• The Airway Huddle - CAFF Parent's Facebook Support Group
• Airway Circle
• The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Child's Care Team

My guest today is Dr. Hilary Pada. Hilary was raised with an appreciation of nature, family, community, and creativity. Born and raised in Kelowna, Hilary returned home after University years having backpacked in Africa, Europe, Central America and lots of road trips through Canada! A 2000 graduate of UBC Dental School.

Dr. Pada's interest in Hospital, Emergency, and Complex Medical-Dental care motivated her to pursue the UBC-VGH General Dental Residency. Exposure to Oral Oncology piqued her interest and brought her home to work at BCCancer in Kelowna, start her family and raise 2 beautiful daughters.

Since 2001, Hilary has served patients in private practice dentistry and at BCCancer Kelowna. She embarked on a new journey in Myofunctional Care and Integrative Oral Medicine when her youngest daughter’s health needs collided with a planned dental care path. Her many hours of continued learning exposed her to a different way of thinking…that breathing issues and body tensions are the root cause of many dental conditions. This has not been an easy path. It conflicts on some level with many aspects of established health care, which has been a challenge personally and professionally.

It has been a personal healing journey as much as learning a new way to show up as a dentist in integrative health care. “Once you see it, you cannot unsee it”, “breath forms life forms” and “meet people where the are at” are common phrases spoken about this path. Hilary is fortunate to have assembled a strong, supportive and growing team of dedicated health professionals whose combined passion forms CO₂llaborative Care + Research.

You can find out more about Dr. Pada at www.co2llab.care.

For access to all photos, videos, and resources, visit the blog posting at childrensairwayfirst.org/blogs.

My guest today is Dr. Hilary Pada. Hilary was raised with an appreciation of nature, family, community, and creativity. Born and raised in Kelowna, Hilary returned home after University years having backpacked in Africa, Europe, Central America and lots of road trips through Canada! A 2000 graduate of UBC Dental School.

Dr. Pada's interest in Hospital, Emergency, and Complex Medical-Dental care motivated her to pursue the UBC-VGH General Dental Residency. Exposure to Oral Oncology piqued her interest and brought her home to work at BCCancer in Kelowna, start her family and raise 2 beautiful daughters.

Since 2001, Hilary has served patients in private practice dentistry and at BCCancer Kelowna. She embarked on a new journey in Myofunctional Care and Integrative Oral Medicine when her youngest daughter’s health needs collided with a planned dental care path. Her many hours of continued learning exposed her to a different way of thinking…that breathing issues and body tensions are the root cause of many dental conditions. This has not been an easy path. It conflicts on some level with many aspects of established health care, which has been a challenge personally and professionally.

It has been a personal healing journey as much as learning a new way to show up as a dentist in integrative health care. “Once you see it, you cannot unsee it”, “breath forms life forms” and “meet people where the are at” are common phrases spoken about this path. Hilary is fortunate to have assembled a strong, supportive and growing team of dedicated health professionals whose combined passion forms CO₂llaborative Care + Research.

You can find out more about Dr. Pada at www.co2llab.care.

For full show notes, links, and videos, visit our blog postings at childrensairwayfirst.org/blogs.

My guest today is Dr. Kevin Coppelson. Dr. Kevin Coppelson is a board-certified and fellowship-trained Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon practicing at The Breathe Institute in Southern California. He practices a broad range of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery- with a focus on skeletal augmentation for the treatment of maxillofacial deformities and sleep-related breathing disorders.

Dr. Coppelson brings the knowledge and experience necessary to stay on the cutting edge of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

Dr. Coppelson's highly specialized training provides him with expertise on procedures ranging from corrective jaw surgery, minimally invasive jaw expansion, dental implants, and management of wisdom teeth.

You can find out more about Dr. Coppelson at drcoppelson.com.

Show Notes:

• MIND Technique
• Airway Health Research Downloads from The Breathe Institute
• The Breathe Institute