Why does my child mouth breathe?

👃Humans are born obligated nasal breathers. If you notice that you or your child is not nasal breathing (whether it's at night, during the day or both) you'll want to start exploring to find out WHY!

Here are some common causes of mouth breathing:

👄Allergies- food or environmental allergies (like dust) can cause chronic congestion and nasal inflammation making it hard to nasal breath.

👄Nasal Obstruction- enlarged turbinates, deviated septum, enlarged tonsils and adenoids can all make it challenging to nasal breath.

👄Habit- Many times nasal obstructions are treated, but the child continues to breath through their mouth. This is why addressing the rest posture and function of the mouth (myofunctional therapy) is important!

👄Recessed Jaw- This is when the jaw is set further back, which can reduce the airway.

👄Tongue Tie- The roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose! if the tongue is held down, the roof of the mouth often becomes high and narrow which can make it more difficult to nasal breath. Tongue tie can also cause a compromised airway since it tethers the tongue back and down in the mouth.

Most often, causes of mouth breathing are multifactorial. That's why it's so important to use a holistic team approach to best address the root cause of the issue! 👊

Have you or your child experienced any of these symptoms leading to mouth breathing? Let me know in the comments⏬

*www.ameeratherapy.com*