Growing a Mighty Mouth!

It all started with the book Breath by James Nestor.
For the first time, everything began to click. All the puzzle pieces started coming together for me as a parent. My son had been a habitual mouth breather, but I didn’t fully understand the why—or the long-term health impacts.

That book sent me down a rabbit hole—one filled with research, trainings, and deep curiosity. I started learning about the root causes of mouth breathing and, more importantly, how to support better function.

That’s when I discovered orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT)—a therapy focused on the muscles of the face, mouth, and airway. When this system is out of balance, we often see signs like crowded teeth, long face growth patterns, and sleep-disordered breathing—an underlying issue for many kids who struggle with ADHD or learning challenges.

While traditional myofunctional therapy is geared toward children ages 4 and up, I kept asking myself—what about the younger ones? The babies and toddlers already showing early signs of dysfunction? That’s where my love of feeding therapy grew. Many young children with myofunctional challenges also struggle with feeding—whether it’s picky eating, texture sensitivities, or difficulty chewing and swallowing. With the right support, we can lay the foundation for healthy orofacial development early on.

Then came my deep dive (maybe obsession?) into tethered oral tissues (TOTs)—specifically tongue ties. That tiny string under the tongue? It can have a huge impact across the entire body. Research continues to link TOTs to issues like poor sleep, feeding difficulties, picky eating, speech delays, crowded teeth, TMJ pain, headaches—even pelvic floor dysfunction. It’s all connected.

I believe in lifelong learning and staying at the forefront of care. I’m constantly seeking out training and mentorship so I can support my clients with the best, most informed approach possible.

Professional Background
Andrea earned her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Utica University and is board certified by NBCOT. She is licensed in both New York and Virginia. Her training includes:

• Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy – AOMT and The Myo Method

• Feeding Therapy – Feed the Peds

• TOTs in the 0–3 Population – Advanced training through TalkTools

• Oral Placement Therapy (OPT)

• Pediatric Feeding –AEIOU Trained

• CST- Upledger Institute Level 1 &2

• CFT -The Gillespie Approach