Matters Of The Mouth

06/04/2026

First and foremost, I’m a MOTHER to a child with apraxia and THEN I’m a speech language pathologist. I’m NOT just posting this because it’s about job security and self interest. I’m posting this because parents are vulnerable and are willing to try and or pay ANYTHING to help their child, and sick people prey on this and make literally THOUSANDS of dollars with things that have ZERO scientific research.

Childhood apraxia of speech needs to be treated using the principles of motor learning in speech THERAPY. I know it’s hard. I know we all want a quick fix. There isn’t one. I hate seeing parents getting swindled by snake salesman 🥺

06/03/2026

👄 MOUTH OFF: Top 5 Reasons Your Baby Should See Someone Like Me BEFORE a Tongue/Lip Tie Release

A tongue tie release may be the right answer for some babies—but it shouldn’t be the first step for every baby.

Before any procedure, it’s important to understand not just what the tissues look like, but how your baby’s mouth is actually functioning during feeding, sucking, swallowing, and movement.

An oral function and feeding assessment can:

✔️ Determine whether a restriction is truly impacting function
✔️ Establish a baseline before any procedure
✔️ Identify weakness, tension, or coordination issues
✔️ Help prepare baby for the best possible outcome
✔️ Reduce unnecessary procedures

In fact, one study found that nearly 63% of infants referred for frenotomy were not recommended for release after having a comprehensive feeding evaluation and therapy intervention!

The goal isn’t simply to release tissue.

The goal is better feeding, better function, and better outcomes. ❤️

Watch today’s Mouth Off episode to learn more.

Questions about tongue ties, feeding, or oral function? Drop them 👇

05/27/2026

💯 🙌🏼

05/26/2026

“So what do you do?”

“I’m a speech therapist.”

“Oh! What ages?”

“Mostly babies.”

“…but babies don’t talk?” 😅

I get this ALL. THE.TIME.

And honestly? Fair question. 😂

But speech-language pathologists don’t just work on talking — we work on the entire oral mechanism and how it functions.

That means things like:
👶 feeding
🍼 sucking
👅 tongue function
🥛 swallowing
😮 breathing patterns
💤 airway/sleep concerns
🍽 oral motor skills

Because before babies ever say words… they have to learn how to use their mouths.

And when oral function isn’t working well, we can see things like:
• painful feeding
• clicking while nursing/bottle feeding
• poor latch
• reflux/gassiness
• milk leaking
• prolonged feeds
• mouth breathing
• tension during feeds
• picky eating later on
• speech concerns down the road

Sometimes these difficulties can be related to tethered oral tissues (tongue ties, lip ties, buccal ties) that may impact how the mouth moves and functions during feeding and swallowing.

This is actually a specialized area within speech-language pathology, and I’ve completed advanced training specifically in infant oral function, feeding, swallowing, tethered oral tissues, and myofunctional therapy.

So yes… babies may not be giving TED Talks yet… but they’re definitely communicating. 😆

And feeding is one of the very first and most important developmental skills babies learn.

Welcome to Mouth Off 👄

05/23/2026

Something new is coming… 👄🎥

Introducing Mouth Off — a short video series where I’ll be talking about all things oral function, feeding, airway, tethered oral tissues, and myofunctional therapy in a real, practical, easy-to-understand way.

As a provider, I see so many parents and patients struggling to find answers about things like:
• feeding difficulties
• mouth breathing
• tongue ties & oral restrictions
• speech concerns
• oral habits
• sleep & airway issues
• facial/oral development
…and more.

There is SO much misinformation and confusion surrounding these topics, and my goal with this series is to help educate, empower, and start conversations that matter.

These will be short, honest, informative (maybe even a little controversial) videos where we can “mouth off” about the things nobody talks enough about. 😉

Before I start filming, I’d love to hear from YOU:

What topics or questions would you like covered in the series? Drop them in the comments 👇

05/18/2026

Today is National Speech-Language Pathologist Day!

I’ve been a practicing as a SLP for 20 years!! (That kind of blows my mind. 🧠🤯) The last 10 have been right here in Giles County. I pride myself on being a clinician that is willing to know my limits, seek out new education, and provide unique and specialized services to our wonderful rural community.

If I’ve ever had a positive impact in your life, please show a little love and comment something memorable about our time together!

Thanks in advance for the love! 💕

05/05/2026

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month 💙

This month, we’re celebrating the incredible impact of speech-language pathologists and raising awareness for the many ways communication shapes our lives.

When most people hear “speech therapy,” they often think of helping children say sounds clearly—but our scope of practice reaches far beyond that.

Speech-language pathologists support and treat:

🗣️ Speech sound production (articulation & phonology)
💬 Language skills (understanding and expressing ideas)
📚 Literacy (phonological awareness, reading, spelling, comprehension)
🧠 Social communication (pragmatic language, conversation skills, perspective-taking)
👅 Feeding & swallowing (Myofunctional Therapy, infant oral function & feeding, deficits related to tethered oral tissues, picky eating, oral motor skills, dysphagia)
👶 Early communication development (play, gestures, first words)
🎤 Voice disorders (quality, pitch, vocal health)
🗣️ Fluency (stuttering and cluttering)
🧠 Cognitive communication (attention, memory, problem-solving, executive functioning)
👂 Auditory processing & listening skills
🧩 Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) for individuals who need another way to communicate
🤝 Self-advocacy and functional communication for everyday life

Communication is more than talking—it’s connecting, learning, expressing needs, building relationships, and being understood.

This month, we celebrate every child, adult, and family on their communication journey—and the privilege of walking alongside them. 💛

04/24/2026

Really no point in trying to deny it…. I know, I know, I’m so humble 😆 🦄

04/16/2026

I cannot believe it’s been 7 years this month since I took my first TOTs (Tethered Oral Tissues) course with the amazing Chrysalis Orofacial and now as a Legacy Member I’m taking the all new, re-vamped GOLD TOTs course online! Loving every minute of this and appreciating how the 7 year journey has allowed me to blossom into a highly skilled specialist in the Tongue Tie field.

04/09/2026

Was definitely an honor to present to this amazing group of airway professionals.

Today our AATN group learned about how our breathing is connected to fascia, movement and posture.

Watch Laura and Yoshi here: https://www.loom.com/share/d659fd38b8e7497594d9775d6a50554c