ADHD and mouth breathing

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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amother

DarkViolet

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 10:45 am

amother Freesia wrote:

So it's beneficial or not?

Sorry that should have said benefits of nose breathing

amother

Magenta

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 10:46 am

Wow. I really needed this thread now. My child is drooling still and the ENT said it's my choice whether to operate. Tonsils are huge and not even. Strep decreased so I didn't schedule surgery.
Also chews on jackets, sleeves etc. Thumb sucker. The speech therapists, those that accept insurance, told me over the phone to persue OT.
I'm so lost here.

I guess I can watch some youtubes on myo exercises. I can't realistically travel to Crown Heights, even if I'm ready to pay cash for Dina's sessions.

amother

DarkViolet

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 10:51 am

amother Magenta wrote:

Chewing, mouthing and thumb sucking from a airway perspective can be instinctive or compensatory behaviors for opening the airway/stimulating the vagus nerve in the back of the throat which isn't getting stimulated enough due to open mouth/improper tongue posture.

amother

Magenta

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 11:09 am

amother DarkViolet wrote:

Thank you. So basically remove obstruction and therapy to build oral muscle?

amother

DarkViolet

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 11:25 am

amother Magenta wrote:

Thank you. So basically remove obstruction and therapy to build oral muscle?

But you may also have to make room in the mouth aka palate expansion, and also release the tongue if it's tied so it can actually rest where it's meant to. But removing obstructions is a good place to start.

amother

Wheat

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 12:14 pm

For a preteen or older, you can try medical tape to keep the mouth closed at night. (Obviously only if the child agrees with this)
This will eventually cause the mouth to reshape itself properly to allow for nose breathing.

amother

DarkViolet

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 12:17 pm

amother Wheat wrote:

This should only be done if you know for sure there's no obstruction.

amother

Lightyellow

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 2:12 pm

Is the goal that if you cure the mouth breathing then you cure the ADHD? Because I have ADHD and I was a mouth breather and we corrected it as a kid, and I still had/have ADHD. . .

amother

DarkViolet

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 3:44 pm

amother Lightyellow wrote:

Is the goal that if you cure the mouth breathing then you cure the ADHD? Because I have ADHD and I was a mouth breather and we corrected it as a kid, and I still had/have ADHD. . .

It's simplistic to assume that any one single factor will completely reverse all the symptoms. There are so many other contributing factors to consider and address. But for some it may be a piece, and it's a good idea for overall health to fix it regardless.

amother

Freesia

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 3:47 pm

What is the connection to adhd? And what other issues does mouth breathing cause?

amother

Nasturtium

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 5:50 pm

Hi-SLP here with quite a bit of experience. Only have a minute now but let me give some info on the hard palate and its implications. Every baby is born with a hard palate that has a hairline space between the 2 halves. A healthy swallow where the tongue sweeps and presses consistently on the roof of the mouth, keeps the palate spread out and wide. Very often babies who use pacifiers for a long time, especially large ones (NEVER use the BIBS or elongated ones, or use sizes larger than newborn-even as the baby grows). Thumb sucking can also really push up the palate into a narrow form. As the palate is the floor of the nasal cavity, there is less room in the airway, and an apen moth posture develops so that the child can breath A crossbite often developes as well because and the upper teeth have little room to grow.
The palate starts fusing as the body matures and grows to adult size. It is important to go to an orthodontist before the 2 sides fuse. Most orthodontists will put one in as soon as the 6 year old molars come in.

honey36

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:28 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

What is the connection to adhd? And what other issues does mouth breathing cause?

Mouth breathing is highly correlated with sleep disorders like snoring and sleep apnea and ADHD is highly correlated with sleep disorders.

Mouth breathing can also cause speech disorders, airway issues, dental and orthodontic issues, TMJ, eating and swallowing disorders, digestive issues, amongst other things.

Some fairly good summaries/ faq's found in link below

https://aomtinfo.org/screening.....lets/

honeymoon

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:37 pm

amother DarkViolet wrote:

Tonsils and adenoids are a chicken and egg kind of thing. Enlarged T&A will cause mouth breathing, and mouth breathing [for other reasons] can cause enlarged T&A due to chronic inflammation and pathogens getting trapped there.

You need to figure out what came first, or address from both ends at once.

Airway expansion so the tongue has space to rest up on top, tongue tie release so the tongue can reach the top, working on the tongue resting up on top and keeping lips closed can actually help tonsils and adenoids shrink.

From the other end, outside of having then removed, an anti histamine and sleeping with a HEPA air purifier can help take down the swelling if it's allergy related, and long term antibiotics, or herbal antibiotics and anti virals can help if it's a chronic infection causing the swelling. Obviously if it's a food allergy contributing, eliminating that will help as well.

So much good information here.

When you talk about the tongue resting on top does that mean in the space behind the bumps on the top (thrusting the tongue back a bit) or is it ok if the tongue touches the back of the teeth? I've seen conflicting information regarding this.

amother

DarkViolet

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:40 pm

honeymoon wrote:

My understanding is right behind the teeth, touching the back of the top teeth is ideal resting place.

amother

DarkViolet

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:49 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

What is the connection to adhd? And what other issues does mouth breathing cause?

https://bloomsleepandairway.co.....hing/

https://www.drstevenlin.com/mo.....adhd/

https://drmaryanne.com/what-do.....nore/

https://www.occupationaltherap.....hing/

amother

Jetblack

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:49 pm

Interesting thread. I am 44 and a life long mouth breather. No ADD or ADHD, no digestive issues or sleep issues bh, no chronic congestion. I have a high, narrow palate and did have chronic allergies as a child, should have had orthodontal work as a child but didn't.

When I try breathing through my mouth for periods of time it feels like I'm choking, like holding my breath. I tried nostril dilators which enabled me to breathe through my nose but obv can't wear in public and they pinch after a time. Otherwise, it doesn't seem to interfere with my life.

Also, my mil a"h was a lifelong mouth breather and she lived into her 80s, it didn't seem to affect her either, to my knowledge.

amother

Jetblack

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 7:50 pm

amother Nasturtium wrote:

Most orthodontists will put one in as soon as the 6 year old molars come in.

Put what in? A palate expander?

amother

Nasturtium

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 8:27 pm

amother Jetblack wrote:

Put what in? A palate expander?

Yes. The palate expander widens the palate and it gives space for the tongue to fit in the mouth. It can also widen the airway, help fluid drain, and prevent malloclussions.

amother

Seafoam

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 8:55 pm

amother Nasturtium wrote:

Thanks for this info. My 3 year old probably has a high palate (certainly looks so to me) and she's the only one of my kids who had and still has a bibs pacifier. My first few sucked fingers (not thumb) and my baby now uses the tommee tippee one which is flatter in shape so I hope it's better.
Yes we're preparing her to give up her pacifier, she has it only in bed, but it really soothes her.
You say that if we go to an orthodontist before age 6 it can still be corrected?
Dh has a high palate too so I think some of it is hereditary as well even though none of my other kids seem to have a high palate (from what I can tell).
But some of my other kids are mouth breathers. The one child who I thought wasn't a mouth breather, I asked him over shabbos where he breathes from and he said his mouth! I was so surprised.
Are there any YouTube exercises or what that I can do with my older kids to attempt the mouth breathing issue? I don't think it's affecting them much right now, besides for it looking funny that they sleep with an open mouth. But this thread is making it seem like they will have medical issues down the line if not corrected.

amother

Garnet

Sat, Jan 27 2024, 9:46 pm

honey36 wrote:

Correlation does not equal causation

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