SLP Learning Hour

Guest: Marileda Cattelan Tome, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - This Making Sense of Myo episode features Dr. Cattelan Tome, who explains the importance of malocclusion on speech and swallowing functioning. She then dives into treatment planning for myofunctional disorders.

Guest: Piya Gandhi, DDS - Dr. Gandhi, a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist, shares the impacts tethered oral tissues can have on oral functioning. Dr. Gandhi shares her “Function First” model for diagnosing tongue and lip ties and the process of frenectomies. Throughout the episode, Dr. Gandhi shares the importance of interdisciplinary care for frenectomies and how she collaborates with SLPs throughout the process.

Guest: Melissa Vagts, MSP, CCC-SLP, - This episode explores how knowledge of orofacial myology allows speech pathologists to effectively use differential diagnosis to determine the best care plan for their patients. Melissa explains when a myofunctional approach would not be appropriate and the qualifications a patient needs to effectively participate in a myofunctional program. Melissa wraps up this episode by sharing ways knowledge of typical oromyofunction can allow SLPs to modify treatment approaches to include myofunctional concepts to support speech and swallowing skills.

Guest: Char Boshart, MA, CCC-SLP - This episode features a practical and informative perspective of myofunctional therapy for speech sound disorders and the oral stage of swallowing. Char discusses “myo” treatment from three points of view. She covers the rationale behind myo (and why sometimes its treatment validity is unfairly questioned) and, most importantly, outlines the essential components of myofunctional therapy.

Guest: Janine Steine, MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH - This episode features Janine, who shares the importance of interdisciplinary care. Janine explains why interdisciplinary care is important to treating myofunctional disorders, care providers that might be involved with orofacial myofunctional disorders, and signs that a referral is needed.

Guest: Patricia Fisher, MS, CCC-SLP, COM® - This episode explores the relationship between ankyloglossia and disorders that speech-language pathologists treat. Patricia shares her knowledge on ankyloglossia. She starts the episode by explaining the characteristics of ankyloglossia and the impacts it has on the oral mechanism. Patricia then explains how ankyloglossia can impact speech, swallowing, voice, and fluency disorders.

Guest: Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, CMT®, COM® - Listen in as Hallie shares an overview of an orofacial myofunctional evaluation, how it relates to the assessment of speech and feeding and provides examples of when a patient might benefit from a referral to a myofunctional evaluation. Hallie ends the episode by sharing the general goals of a myofunctional treatment plan and an overview of a typical myofunctional treatment session.

Guest: Angela McLeod, PhD, CCC-SLP, QOM - This episode explores the relationship between orofacial myofunctional disorders and speech sound disorders. Dr. Angela McLeod shares ways that an orofacial myofunctional disorder can impact speech sound production. Dr. McLeod shares how improving orofacial myofunction can improve a patient’s ability to produce accurate speech sounds. Listen in as Dr. McLeod presents the evidence behind using a myofunctional approach to treat speech sound disorders. To wrap up this episode, Dr. McLeod shares that considering the potential presence of orofacial myology concerns when addressing articulation disorders is an important component of differential diagnosis to determine the best course of treatment.

Guest: Mary Billings, MS, CCC-SLP, COM® - Mary shares the foundational role swallowing plays in craniofacial development. Mary explains the deficits an individual with an orofacial myofunctional disorder might have and shares about swallow patterns. Listen in as she discusses how myofunctional therapy can be used to support individuals in correcting their swallow patterns to improve the overall physiology of the craniofacial complex.

Guest: Kristie Gatto, MA, CCC-SLP, COM®️ - This episode explores the craniofacial complex and its foundational in the physiological processes of speech and swallowing. Listen in as Kristie Gatto, MA, CCC-SLP, COM®️ shares her knowledge on the anatomy and physiology of the craniofacial complex and how it relates back to the physiological processes speech pathologists treat.