Children do not always present as "sleepy" when they are not sleeping well. Instead, they may appear inattentive, impulsive, emotionally reactive, academically inconsistent, difficult to understand, or resistant during feeding. Speech-language pathologists are often among the first professionals to notice the combination of open-mouth posture, mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, articulation errors, reduced attention, and oral-motor or feeding concerns.

This webinar will help SLPs connect those observations without stepping outside their scope of practice. Participants will learn what to observe, what questions to ask, how airway and sleep concerns may influence communication, feeding, behavior, and academic performance, and when an interdisciplinary referral is appropriate. Practical screening observations, case examples, and evidence-based recommendations will help clinicians feel more confident recognizing patterns that warrant additional medical evaluation.
ASHA identifies open-mouth breathing and abnormal oral resting posture among the characteristics associated with orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs). ASHA also emphasizes that SLPs serve as members of an interdisciplinary team and do not diagnose medical airway or sleep disorders. This course reinforces the SLP's role in recognizing functional signs, documenting clinical observations, educating families, and collaborating with healthcare professionals to support improved communication, learning, and overall health.
 

Participants will be able to: 

• Identify common signs and symptoms of airway dysfunction and sleep-disordered breathing that may be observed during speech-language evaluations.
• Describe how mouth breathing, poor sleep quality, and altered oral resting posture can influence speech production, language development, attention, feeding, and academic performance.
• Differentiate clinical observations that fall within the speech-language pathologist's scope of practice from medical diagnoses requiring physician evaluation.
• Apply appropriate screening questions and observational techniques to identify children who may benefit from interdisciplinary referral.
• Evaluate case studies to determine when collaboration with professionals such as ENTs, sleep physicians, dentists, orthodontists, pediatricians, and myofunctional therapists is indicated.
   

Instructor Details and Financial Disclosure 

• Susie Appleman, MA, CCC-SLP, COM

Registration

• Online ONLY for 1 learner -- Access to Online Course for 365 Days/1 Year (0.2-hour CE course, downloadable handout, certificate of completion)

Timed Agenda

• Introduction and Overview (15 minutes)
  • Why airway and sleep matter to communication
  • Current prevalence of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing
  • The SLP's role within an interdisciplinary team
  • Course objectives
• Module 1: Recognizing the Signs (15 minutes)
  • Normal nasal breathing versus mouth breathing
  • Open-mouth posture
  • Oral resting posture
  • Snoring and noisy breathing
  • Clinical red flags during evaluations
  • Parent interview questions
• Module 2: Airway, Sleep, and Functional Performance (30 minutes)
  • Sleep and brain development
  • Executive functioning and attention
  • Behavior and emotional regulation
  • Language development
  • Articulation and resonance
  • Feeding and swallowing considerations
  • Educational impact in school settings
• Module 3: Clinical Decision Making and Referrals (30 minutes)
  • What SLPs should document
  • Scope of practice considerations
  • ASHA guidance regarding OMD and airwway
  • When to refer
  • Building interdisciplinary teams
  • Communicating concerns with parents and educators
  • Ethical considerations
• Case Studies (15 minutes)
  • Review several pediatric cases demonstrating:
  • Mouth breathing and articulation disorder
  • ADHD versus sleep-disordered breathing
  • Feeding concerns associated with airway dysfunction
  • Appropriate referral decisions
• Questions & Answers (15 minutes)
  • Interactive discussion
  • Review of key takeaways

  • Resources for additional learning

     

TOTAL: 120 minutes
 

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