Thumb Suckers

Hello Everyone! 

I wanted to take the time this month to write to you about the development of the soft palate (roof of the mouth) and how this impacts kids speech and their teeth! The development of the palate begins in utero and continues to change dramatically during the first year of life. There are SO many topics we could cover in this blog but I’ll just skim over a couple of the red flags which indicate something may be awry with your babies oral development for a quick reference… 

• Difficulty taking bottle/breast 
• Pain with nursing 
• Tongue Tie 
• Lip Tie 

• Buccal (cheek) tie 
• Limited/no sucking pads on babies cheeks 
• Excessive spit up 
• Choking or gagging regularly on food 
• Large open space between top and bottom teeth when smiling or biting 

Any of these signs or symptoms could be a warning of something bigger going on. Why is the development of the mouth important you might ask? Well we see the development of the mouth impact breathing, feeding, dentition, and speech. If we notice kids have a high, narrow, or vaulted palate, this may influence any of the aforementioned areas. What other behaviors or habits may influence your child’s oral development? I’m so glad you asked…  

• Extended use of pacifier  
• Thumb sucking
• Prolonged bottle feeding 
• Sucking or stuffing their “lovey” into their mouth  

Do you want to know more about these topics? Is your child struggling with any of the red flags I’ve covered above? Message us for a free consult or call us to chat about it on the phone! We would love to walk you through these warning signs in more details and hear about your child’s unique challenges to figure out a custom plan to best help them! 

Talk soon! 

-Kasey-