Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for Feeding and Swallowing in Children From Four to 12 Years: What Does the Evidence Show? A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT), a subtype of oral motor therapy, applies neuromuscular re-education techniques to address orofacial myofunctional disorders impacting breathing, sleeping, speaking, eating and swallowing due to atypical orofacial muscle function and structural anomalies. OMT is delivered by licensed professionals within their scope of practice. While some forms of oral motor therapy are passive and can be applied at any age, OMT is volitional and appropriate generally for children four and above. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of OMT for improving feeding and swallowing outcomes in children aged 4-12 years and to evaluate the methodological quality of the available evidence. METHOD: This systematic review was conducted by searching four electronic databases for studies which analysed the use of OMT to treat paediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. Studies included children with a mean age of 4-12 years, reporting treatment outcomes after receiving OMT for feeding and swallowing difficulties. Seventeen papers were included for final analysis. RESULTS: All 17 papers reported positive feeding and/or swallowing outcomes secondary to implementation of OMT; however, the quality of the selected studies was variable. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlighted positive clinical outcomes of OMT on feeding and swallowing and provided a compelling foundation for its continued clinical application. Future research employing rigorous, standardized study designs will be essential to definitively establish the treatment effectiveness and to formally position OMT as an evidence-based intervention for paediatric feeding and swallowing disorders.