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Have you been told that your child has a narrow palate? Here's what that means....
👅The tongue is meant to "live" on the roof of the mouth starting in utero.
There are many benefits to having our tongue up, including stimulating "feel good" nerves and providing postural support throughout the body, however one of the most important benefits is proper facial growth and development. When our tongue rests on the palate it helps it grow nice and wide to create enough roof for all the adults teeth to come in and for a nice healthy open airway.
So when the tongue doesn't rest on the palate (due to a sucking habit, mouth breathing, nasal congestion, body tension, tongue tie etc... ) the whole shape of the face changes. The palate becomes more V shape and it vaults up into the nasal cavity perpetuating the mouth breathing cycle. It can lead to crooked teeth, misaligned bite, airway concerns, poor sleep quality and/or feeding and speech issues.
So what can we do? The best thing we can do is intervene early to figure out what's causing the issue and get that tongue back where it needs to be. Sometimes, we may need to use other tools such as an early expansion appliance. In any case, I suggest finding a team of providers who are trained in airway to help guide you!
What shape is your child's palate? Has anyone mentioned this to you? Comment V for narrow shaped palate and U for a wide palate.😀
As always, feel free to reach out for support!
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