My guest today is Lauren Ruffrage. Lauren is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist with a Master of Science from Ithaca College.While she has experience treating clients from infancy through adulthood, she has found that her passion lies in pediatrics, with whom she has worked exclusively for the past 10 years. In 2020, after moving to Manlius, New York, Lauren discovered a lack of availability of experienced feeding therapists for in-home therapy. She founded Thrive SPOT to fill this need.Lauren is committed to life-long learning and advocacy. She is focused on offering the best, evidence-based practice methods for her clients and believes in creating treatment strategies that are tailored to the unique needs of each family while empowering the caregiver to be their child’s best advocate.The vast majority of health care professionals are unaware of the negative impact of upper airway obstruction (mouth breathing) on normal facial growth and physiologic health.” ~ Healthy Breathing, ‘Round the ClockShow Notes:

• Healthy Breathers, 'Round the Clock, by Nicole Archambault: Full Article on ASHAWire
• Feedingmatters.org
• ThriveSPOT.com
• Children's Airway First Foundation Blogs on the Importance of Nasal Breathing and Impacts of Mouth Breathing on Children: Access All Blog Articles
• SleepAssociation.org
• Autumn Read Henning, MS, CCC-SLP

Additional episodes myofunctional related episodes of Airway First are also available:

• Episode 6: Karese Lagueere - Parent's Guide to Myofunctional Therapy
• Episode 8: Autumn Henning - Orofacial Development Throughout the Lifespan