I am 20 years old and have a tongue thrust, speech problem

Hi, I am 20 years old and have a tongue thrust. I have problems speaking at times, like a slight lisp, or it feels like my tongue is heavy and gets tied up. I was on your website and I would like to know if you have the tongue thrust therapy available to purchase on line? I live in Franklin, New Jersey. My S and Z sounds I have to struggle to make. And when i make the S, or Z sound my tongue goes to the right side of my mouth and pushes out and is laterally and slushy and air is released. My sh and ch sounds are ok.  I have bad sinuses so when I cant breath I breath threw my mouth and my tongue is down in my mouth. If you can find me a therapist it will be great, but in case you don’t is your program pretty easy to follow, and does it come with a video that I can watch and learn the excercises from?

I’ll check if any of our family of past graduates lives near you. You should also check your location for trained qualified therapists at the following link:     https://orofacialmyology.com/orofacial-myology-therapists-2/  

Are all of your sounds fairly imprecise?  Are the S and Z most noticeable?  Does the tongue come out for those sounds or is air released laterally/slushy out the sides of the mouth?   How are the CH  and SH sounds?  Are they strong and clear?  In rapid conversation? When you repeat    la la  la  la  la, look in the mirror and see if you are doing it with the tongue coming forward.  Now try to do it with mouth partly open and the tongue starting at  that “spot” behind the upper teeth and dropping down within the mouth.  the L sound is usually a giveaway to thrusting problems. When you are eating/chewing, is it easy to keep your mouth closed?  Do you seem to drink down food with liquids for most swallows? Are you primarily a nose breather or is your mouth open frequently? Do you have a history of thumb or other sucking habits as a kid?  Or now? Some of these things might help me to help you.

Thank you for e-mailing me back, by the way my name is A.  Yes, I can open widely and touch my upper teeth. I was seeing a speech pathologist before but my insurance did not cover the treatment so I had to stop treatment. And I still find it difficult to speak at times. I read on a website a couple months back that it is important to put my tongue behind my upper teeth on the ridged gum on the roof of the mouth and that is supposed to be the correct tongue resting posture, I been doing that ever since. Also I have been searching for a speech pathologist in my area that is in my insurance plan but I found none in my plan. So, ordering it online is basically my last resort. If there is anything you can tell me more about this situation, I am all ears and I would like to know the  cost of your program because I am desperately in need of fixing my tongue thrust I cannot take it anymore. Also I want to be a pastor, and with this problem I don’t even have enough guts to go speak in front of the church because I think my tongue is going to get tied up or my speech is going to sound like I have a slur so if you can help me in any way I will be very grateful.

Often, when the sounds are slushy and come out the side(s)…..it might have started with an “interdental” lisp where the tongue came forward…and then the person tries hard to keep the tongue inside and ends up with a lateral lisp, which is worse.  Unfortunately, many speech pathologists who do not understand about ‘tongue thrust” teach the person to keep the tongue inside.  Before learning to keep the tongue on the spot behind the upper teeth, it is important to get the tongue and other muscles in shape so that that new habit can be learned. The CD that comes with the Myo Manual is not a DVD with demonstrations. I hope to add that at some time, but currently the CD is used at the end of the program and is a subconscious CD that uses autosuggestions to help the new habit become permanent. The program does not follow a cookbook approach, although it is presented in stages.  Stage one is getting the muscles in shape; two is learning to suction and swallow the new way, and Phase three is making everything a permanent new habit. I will send you the names of New Jersey members of the International Assoc. of Orofacial Myology and you can check if any live nearby. If we can’t find a therapist for you and you think you want the program, let me know. I’ll be waiting to hear back…. Sandra