Mouthfuls of Change: Helping Picky Eaters through Myofunctional Therapy

How Myofunctional Therapy Can Help Your Child Overcome Picky Eating and Improve Eating Habits!

Dealing with a picky eater can feel like an endless battle. As a parent, you might find yourself navigating mealtime meltdowns, frustration over food refusal, and worrying about your child's nutritional intake. Whether it's a reluctance to try new foods, difficulty chewing, or a preference for a very limited range of textures, picky eating can put a strain on the whole family. But what if the solution to your child's eating challenges isn’t just about convincing them to eat their vegetables?

Myofunctional therapy offers a unique, therapeutic approach that targets the root causes of picky eating—helping children develop better oral habits, improve swallowing, and expand their food preferences. In this blog, we’ll explore how this therapy can transform mealtime struggles into positive, healthy experiences.

The Link Between Myofunctional Therapy and Picky Eaters:

The correlation between picky eaters and myofunctional therapy involves several key factors:

1. Oral Sensory Processing: Picky eaters often have heightened sensitivity to textures, tastes, and temperatures. Myofunctional therapy can help improve oral sensory processing by enhancing muscle function and awareness, which may make new foods more acceptable.

   
   

2. Tongue Function and Posture: Poor tongue posture can affect the ability to manipulate food properly. Myofunctional therapy aims to promote optimal tongue function, which can help with chewing and swallowing, potentially expanding food preferences.

   
   

3. Breathing Patterns: Many picky eaters tend to breathe through their mouths, which can impact taste perception and overall comfort while eating. Myofunctional therapy encourages nasal breathing, which can enhance the eating experience and improve digestion.

   
   

4. Habitual Patterns: Myofunctional therapy addresses habitual oral behaviors, such as thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use, which may contribute to food aversions. By correcting these habits, children may become more open to trying new foods.

   
   

5. Jaw and Facial Muscle Development: Proper chewing and biting are crucial for developing a varied palate. Myofunctional therapy helps strengthen the muscles involved in eating, promoting better chewing and potentially reducing picky eating behaviors.

   
   
   
   

By addressing these factors, myofunctional therapy can play a supportive role in helping picky eaters expand their dietary choices and improve their overall eating habits.

What type of exercises would help picky eaters?

Each therapy treatment plan is personalized and no two clients would endur the same path to success. This course of treatment would be helpful to especially those who have issues with oral motor skills, swallowing, or chewing. The chosen exercises target the muscles of the mouth and face, improving coordination, strength, and function as well as breathing exercises. When these skills are enhanced, children may become more open to trying different textures, chewing more effectively, and enjoying a wider variety of foods.

Chew on This

If your child struggles with picky eating and you're looking for a solution that addresses the root causes, myofunctional therapy could be the key. By strengthening oral muscles and improving coordination, we can help make mealtime a more enjoyable experience for both you and your child. If you’re interested in learning more or scheduling a session, feel free to reach out to me at funnyfacemyotherapy@gmail.com. Let's work together to create positive, lasting changes for your child's eating habits!