Your child sleeps with their mouth hanging open. There’s a soft snore some nights. They wake up groggy, slow to start the day, maybe still wetting the bed. You’ve wondered if it’s allergies. You’ve wondered if it’s just a phase.
Here’s the thing. Mouth-breathing isn’t harmless, and it doesn’t usually fix itself. The muscles learned the wrong pattern, and they need help relearning the right one.
That’s what children’s myofunctional therapy does. It retrains your child to breathe through their nose and rest the tongue where it belongs. And no, your child does not need a tongue-tie for this to help.
We offer children’s myofunctional therapy for Denver families, right here in Lakewood near Edgewater. Call us at (720) 783-5424 to start with an airway evaluation.
Why Mouth-Breathing Kids Near Edgewater Keep Getting Missed
It’s easy to wave off. Mouth-breathing looks like allergies, or a stuffy nose, or just a phase a kid will grow out of.
But the signs downstream tell a bigger story. Restless sleep. Bedwetting past the age it should’ve stopped. Dark circles under the eyes. Daytime tiredness that gets labeled as a behavior problem instead of a sleep one. Parents hear “he’s just spacey” or “she’ll outgrow it,” and the real cause slides by.
Here’s what’s actually going on. The muscles learned the wrong pattern, an open mouth and a low tongue, and that pattern doesn’t self-correct. Day after day, year after year, it stays put until something retrains it.
What Children’s Myofunctional Therapy Actually Does
Think of it like physical therapy for the mouth and face. We retrain the muscles to do what they’re supposed to do.
The work focuses on four things:
- Nasal breathing, so air goes through the nose, not the mouth
- Tongue resting posture, with the tongue up against the palate
- A proper lip seal and swallow pattern
- Jaw and facial balance as everything works together
The exercises are short and built for kids. We make them game-based, so it feels more like play than homework. You’ll do a few minutes a day at home, and we check in each week to keep things on track.
And it stands on its own. Your child does not need a tongue-tie release to benefit from this. For many kids, the therapy is the whole answer.
Why Fixing Breathing Early Changes How the Face Grows
This is the part most parents never hear. How your child breathes shapes how their face grows.
When a child breathes through the nose with the tongue resting up high, that tongue acts like a natural guide. The jaws grow wider and more forward. The airway grows roomier. Everything has space.
Now flip it. A child who mouth-breathes through the growing years tends to grow long and narrow. The airway stays small. The teeth crowd because there’s nowhere to put them. The pattern feeds itself.
That’s the case for not waiting it out. You can steer how things grow now, while your child is young. It’s far harder to undo at 16. Early help means working with growth instead of against it.
Driving Directions From Edgewater Public Market
We’re an easy trip from Edgewater. From Edgewater Public Market at 5505 W 20th Ave, take Sheridan Blvd south to US-6, then head west. Exit at Wadsworth and go south to 3900 S Wadsworth. It runs about 15 minutes.
Parking is free and right at the office, so drop-off and pickup are simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child near Edgewater only mouth-breathes at night — still a problem?
Yes, nighttime mouth-breathing is still worth addressing, because sleep is when growth and rest happen. Breathing through the mouth fragments sleep and dries the airway. Over time, that affects energy, mood, and how the face grows. Therapy can retrain nighttime breathing too.
Is myofunctional therapy the same as speech therapy?
No, myofunctional therapy and speech therapy are different, though they can work well together. Speech therapy focuses on making sounds. Myofunctional therapy retrains breathing, tongue posture, and swallowing. The two can complement each other when a child needs both.
Does my child need a tongue-tie release first?
No, your child does not need a tongue-tie release first. This therapy stands on its own and helps many kids without any release at all. If we spot a restriction during the evaluation, we’ll talk it through. But it isn’t a requirement to start.
How long does a children’s program take?
Most children’s programs run several months, depending on the child and the habits we’re retraining. Progress comes from short, steady daily practice. We adjust along the way and check in weekly. Every child moves at their own pace.
What age can kids start?
Kids can often start myofunctional therapy around age 4 or 5, once they can follow simple directions. Earlier is better when it comes to guiding growth. That said, older kids benefit too. An evaluation tells us the right starting point for your child.
Book a Children’s Airway Evaluation
You’ve watched your child sleep poorly long enough. Let’s find out what’s behind the mouth-breathing and help them breathe easier.
An airway evaluation is a calm, simple first step. We’ll look at how your child breathes, rests the tongue, and sleeps, then map out a plan. Real answers for Denver metro families.
Untethered Airway Health Center 3900 S Wadsworth Blvd #625, Lakewood, CO 80235 (720) 783-5424
Hours:
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Friday: By Appointment Only
- Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Call (720) 783-5424 to book an airway evaluation. Want to learn more first? Read about children’s myofunctional therapy in Lakewood, meet your airway dentistry in Lakewood, or see all the Colorado areas we serve.
