Episode 30 of Airway Answers: "What is Oral Motor, Oral Placement, & Oromyofunctional Therapy? with Robyn Merkel-Walsh”

Welcome to the "Airway Answers with Nicole Goldfarb: Expanding your Breath of Knowledge". In this episode, Nicole Goldfarb, M.A. CCC, SLP- COM® interviews Robyn Merkel-Walsh, M.A., CCC-SLP, COM ®, who is a renowned licensed Speech Pathologist and Certified Orofacial Myologist®.  In this interview, Robyn talks about the 🗣️ Hidden Connections: Oral Motor, Speech, and Myofunctional Disorders 🗣️.  Robyn reveals important truths about the intertwined world of oral motor skills, speech, and myofunctional disorders in this insightful interview!

🤯 Prepare to be INFORMED:

✅ Robyn shares her inspiring journey into speech pathology.  Her passion for oral placement, oral motor, and myofunctional therapies shines through as she unpacks complex topics with clarity and expertise.

✅ Discover the ROOTS of the oral motor CONTROVERSY and how a lack of understanding led to the unfair dismissal of valuable therapeutic approaches. 😠

✅ Robyn expertly debunks myths and sheds light on the scientific basis behind these effective techniques. 🧪

✅ Unravel the intricate relationships between airway, feeding, structure, and speech as Robyn breaks down the FOUR KEY DOMAINS of myofunctional disorders. 🤯

✅ Learn why a TEAM APPROACH is essential, involving SLPs, OTs, PTs, dentists, and lactation consultants. 🤝

 Some of Robyn Walsh's GOLDEN NUGGETS:

✅ Oral motor therapy is NOT just for speech sounds! It plays a VITAL role in feeding and swallowing, especially for infants and toddlers. 👶

✅ Oral placement therapy uses tactile cues to help individuals achieve correct speech sound production, considering the interplay of respiration, phonation, jaw stability, and tongue movements. 👅

✅ Myofunctional therapy addresses habits and muscle imbalances that affect oral function and facial development.

✅ Early intervention is PARAMOUNT! Don't wait for problems to worsen. Act early to prevent lifelong challenges. ⏱️

🎙️ Tune in to this interview and gain a DEEPER understanding of the fascinating and often misunderstood field of oral motor, speech, and myofunctional disorders!

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ABOUT THE GUEST:
Robyn Merkel-Walsh, M.A., CCC-SLP, COM ® is a Licensed Speech Pathologist and Certified Orofacial Myologist®. She is a lecturer and author for TalkTools®, is the Board Chair of the Oral Motor Institute, and is the recipient of 4 ASHA ACE Award and the Ridgefield Woman of the Year 2019 in Business. Robyn specializes in oral placement, feeding and orofacial myofunctional disorders. She is Beckman and PROMPT trained. Her private practice focuses on Oral-Placement (OPT), oral motor, orofacial myofunctional (OMT), muscle and motor-based speech sound disorders. Robyn also is known for her work with pre- and post-operative frenectomy patients.

Robyn's publications include MYOSolutions, Art Talk, Handy Handouts, OPT-S Kit, and she co-authored Sensory Stix, A Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding, Functional Assessment and Remediation of TOTs and OPT Goals for Speech Clarity. She has also developed the OPT-S tool in addition to Scentsational bubbles. She has also written articles for the TalkTools®, ASHA Leader and Advance Magazine for Speech Pathologists. She has been published five consecutive years at the and the annual convention of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Recently Robyn has also been published in Clinical Pediatrics, Journal of Oral Rehabilitation and the International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy.
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ABOUT THE HOST: 
Nicole Goldfarb, M.A. CCC, SLP- COM® is an SLP and COM, international speaker, and author. She is the owner of San Diego Center For Speech Therapy & Myofunctional Therapy. She currently serves as a mentor and consultant to patients, professionals, and colleagues nationally and internationally in the field of OMT.