Ithaca Myofunctional Therapy

01/08/2026

This isn’t about dismissing ADHD — it’s about asking better questions before labeling behavior.
Airway restriction, mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, and poor sleep quality can all mimic or worsen ADHD-like symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation.

If a child (or adult) isn’t breathing well — especially during sleep — the brain doesn’t rest, regulate, or develop optimally. No amount of focus strategies can override a nervous system stuck in survival mode.

✨ Myofunctional therapy is one piece of the puzzle, helping address oral posture, tongue function, and breathing patterns — often alongside medical, dental, and behavioral providers.

Before asking “What’s wrong with their behavior?”
We should be asking “How are they breathing?”

08/27/2025

It’s more common than you think, and it’s not always “just a phase.”
Sometimes, bedwetting is linked to how your child is breathing while they sleep.

Mouth breathing, snoring, or airway issues can disrupt deep sleep and even affect bladder control.

Myofunctional therapy helps retrain the tongue, lips, and facial muscles to support proper breathing and better sleep.

By addressing the root cause, we’re not just helping your child stay dry—we’re supporting overall health, growth, and development.

If your child struggles with nighttime accidents, it might be time to look at the airway first.

08/27/2025

TMJ pain, jaw stiffness, or morning soreness can be more than just “stress.”

One often overlooked contributor is airway-related grinding and clenching. At night, your body may unconsciously tighten the jaw or shift the mandible to keep the airway open, putting extra stress on the TMJ.

Other factors can also play a role: your bite, dental appliances, or even hormonal imbalances.

Myofunctional therapy is one of several ways to address TMD—it focuses on retraining the muscles of the tongue, face, and jaw to support proper function and relieve strain.

If you wake with jaw tension, clenching, or pain, a myofunctional assessment could help uncover the root cause and guide treatment.

08/27/2025

Good question! Generally, children are ready for a full myofunctional therapy program around ages 5–7, but every child is different. Some 9-year-olds aren’t quite ready, and we’ve seen 4-year-olds excel!

For younger children (3+), we offer Mini Myo Programs—shorter, simpler exercises designed to get them started without the demands of a full program. Twice-a-day practice and attention to detail come later, when they’re ready to fully participate. 💪👅

Starting early can make a big difference in breathing, tongue posture, and oral development, so it’s never too soon to explore!

08/27/2025

Sometimes little habits can make a big difference in your rest—consistent sleep schedule, a calm bedtime routine, limiting screens, keeping your sleep space dark and quiet…and proper tongue placement achieved through myofunctional therapy.

Our sleep isn’t truly restorative when the tongue falls into the airway - leading to grinding, clenching, snoring, and sleep apnea. All of these keep us from entering deep sleep, so we don’t get the rest we need to reset and regenerate.

Sleep hygiene aims to enhance sleep quality from all angles—habits, environment, and airway health.

Better habits = better sleep. 🌙

06/29/2025

What used to be considered "early" evaluation is now the standard — and sometimes an even earlier check-up is needed!

🦷 It’s so important your child regularly sees an airway-focused dentist who monitors jaw development, checks for tongue and lip ties, and is asking questions about sleep and breathing.

🚩 If they notice red flags, they may recommend seeing an orthodontist even before age 7.

✨ Most orthodontists offer free initial assessments, including imaging...so what do you have to lose?!

06/19/2025

Check out our new blog post on the jaw and airway epidemic.

This post discusses how processed foods are affecting the way our orofacial complex develops, and consequently affects our breathing, sleep, oral development, jaw health and overall wellness.

>>> ithacamyo.com/blog

06/18/2025

Simple words for a mechanism anything but simple.

Your body is a marvel of engineering, and its foundation is healthy breathing and restful sleep. We can’t expect to be well if we don’t breathe and sleep properly.

It often doesn't look like labored breathing, having asthma or a respiratory condition.

Most of the time, dysfunctional breathing happens quietly — during sleep. It keeps us from reaching the deep, restorative stages of sleep our bodies need to heal, recharge, and thrive. It can keep us congested. It can keep us tired and unenergetic.

Poor sleep isn’t just “being tired” — it’s your body signaling that your breathing may not be as healthy as it could be.

A myofunctional therapist can help you restore proper oral-facial function and guide you toward healthier, more efficient breathing — giving your body the support it needs to truly thrive.

Visit us at ithacamyo.com to learn more or set up an assessment.

12/10/2024

Historically, the dental world blamed bruxism on stress. Or medications. Or who knows what.

Without understanding and addressing the root cause, nightguards have been the go-to solution, a bandaid, to prevent further wear on the teeth.

But what's really going on is that grinding and clenching at night is your brain's response to airway collapse. The tongue relaxes as you sleep and falls back into the airway space, and your brain says "hey! get that tongue out, we need to tense up these muscles or shift the lower jaw forward to get the tongue out the throat."

Why is this a problem? It can cause tooth wear, sensitivity, fractures and jaw pain. It also keeps you in a heightened state of awareness, so even if you're "sleeping" your not getting into deep cycles because your tongue and brain are fighting all night. So you either wake frequently or sleep through the night and then wonder why you don't feel rested when you wake up.

We address and help stop airway-related bruxism and clenching through myofunctional therapy, a program that tones the tongue and surrounding structures so airway collapse is not something you are combatting all night long.

Come see us for an assessment to see how we can help you prevent nighttime bruxism!

12/10/2024

We love a community outreach opportunity and would like to thank for hosting us!

10/14/2024

Join us at the Nutritional Wellness Center on Thursday, November 21st! We’ll have a variety of information, tools, and interactive assessments for you and your family. Discover how we can support you in improving your breathing, sleep, and orofacial development through functional exercise therapy. We look forward to seeing you!
https://www.facebook.com/Nutritionalwellnesscenterofithaca

05/01/2024

happy anniversary, Ithaca Myo!!!

Ithaca Myofunctional Therapy is now open! visit us at ithacamyo.com