AAPMD Myofunctional Section

This is an interdisciplinary group of healthcare professionals tasked with increasing the awareness of orofacial myofunctional disorders and treatment.

Physical Therapy

MYOFUNCTIONAL

Who We Are

We are multidisciplinary professionals who help spread the important word about AAPMD’s mission and learning opportunities.

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Only academic institutions or recognized professional organizations can award such credentials once a healthcare professional has completed a formal process of criteria.

Myofunctional Therapy Section Leader

Nicole ArchambaultNicole Archambault, EdS, MS, CCC-SLP, CYMHS, CSSC, CLEC

Nicole Archambault, EdS, MS, CCC-SLP, CYMHS, CSSC, CLEC, is an ASHA board certified speech-language pathologist with a unique blend of sub-specialties. She is the Founder of Allspace Therapy in Los Angeles, California. She is a graduate of the Mind, Brain, Teaching graduate certificate program at Johns Hopkins University.

More on Nicole Archambault
Nicole is a national and international speaker, as well as a published author on the topics of educational neuroscience, orofacial myofunctional therapy, airway function disorders and the autonomic nervous system, and sleep wellness in pediatrics. She first shared her keen interest in airway function and orofacial myofunctional disorders in 2014 when she presented her research proposal for tongue-ties as clinical markers for sleep-disordered breathing at the AAMS Congress in Rome, Italy. Her first article for The ASHA Leader (2015) on sleep-disordered breathing and tongue-ties garnered a Bronze Excel Award from Association Media & Publishing for Best Column. In 2019, Nicole presented her capstone project from Johns Hopkins University at the World Sleep Society titled: Oral Dysfunction and Sleep Meet Education: A Four-Part Collaborative-Model for Screenings. Her capstone project was the first of its kind to partner speech-language pathologists and elementary educators together for school-based screenings of sleep-disordered breathing.

Nicole is a passionate advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and public health awareness on airway health and sleep. Alongside an interdisciplinary team of colleagues on the FAIREST: Functional AIRway Evaluation Screening Tool (Pilot Study, Phase 1,) she has contributed to research on nasal breathing screening and tongue mobility published in the International Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation respectively.

What We Do

We address the root causes of preventable illnesses, especially as it relates to nasal breathing, restful sleep, nutrition, and inflammation.

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OMTs treat Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders which can occur at any point in a patient’s life. Some of the red flags and symptoms include:

  • Restricted frena
  • Malocclusions
  • Atypical swallowing
  • Scalloped tongue
  • Snoring and sleep apnea
  • Poor chewing and digestion

The treatment is to restore proper orofacial functions:

  • promote and restore optimal nasal breathing
  • identify ankyloglossia in babies to optimize sucking and nutrition
  • promote and restore proper muscle patterns for sucking, chewing, swallowing and speaking
  • promote correct orofacial resting position of the lips, tongue, jaw and face
  • promote proper function of “dilator” muscles during sleep

How We Do It

We help develop screening tools, educate practitioners with monthly webinars, and coordinate multidisciplinary treatment.

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The OMT uses a combination of physical therapy exercises to improve the bite, breathing and facial posture targeting the face, neck and mouth’s soft tissues to reach optimal tongue position and oral rest posture.

Typically there is an interdisciplinary plan of care developed in conjunction with a dentist, ENT, speech therapist, lactation consultant, TMJ-orofacial pain specialist, etc.