Category: Uncategorized

Breathing is one of the most important vital functions, yet we do not think about it very often, as it mostly happens unconsciously and we take it for granted. However, the way we breathe significantly affects various areas of our lives, including the development of speech and language, and therefore shapes our quality of life.

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Proper Breathing

Proper breathing is breathing through the nose. During this, the mouth is usually closed, and the tongue rests against the palate just behind the upper teeth. The tongue muscles press upward against the upper jaw and inward against the alveolar ridge, which allows the jaw—and consequently the entire oral and nasal cavity—to develop properly. In addition, when breathing through the nose, the air is humidified, filtered, and warmed, making it more suitable for entering the sensitive lungs.

Breathing through the nose is therefore not only recommended, but essential for harmonious development of the face, jaw, teeth, and airways, and it forms the basis for proper posture. Beyond its aesthetic function, nasal breathing affects the entire body, organs, and organ systems. We must be aware that long-term mouth breathing can negatively affect health and leave permanent consequences.

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Image source:
https://www.childrensdentistrywga.com/mouth-breathing-breaking-unhealthy-habits/

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Causes of Mouth Breathing

The causes of mouth breathing are most often found in our environment and habits, and less frequently are of organic origin. It is often difficult to determine why a child develops mouth breathing. Usually, several causes are present and intertwined:

• a short lingual frenulum (tongue-tie),
• a difficult and traumatic birth,
• a shorter period of breastfeeding,
• prolonged use of a feeding bottle and pacifier, thumb sucking,
• prolonged offering of puréed food and insufficient introduction of solid food,
• parents breathing through the mouth, which children imitate,
• stress,
• environmental toxins (present during pregnancy or early development) that promote respiratory infections and allergies, thereby encouraging mouth breathing.

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Consequences of Mouth Breathing

Improper breathing affects quality of life in many ways:

• poorer sleep at night (sleep apnea, snoring, teeth grinding, bedwetting) and daytime fatigue, which contribute to poorer mood, irritability, difficulty concentrating at school, and reduced cognitive abilities,
• more frequent inflammation of the throat, tonsils, and middle ear,
• headaches,
• altered development of cranial bones (children who breathe through the mouth often develop a narrow, elongated face, misaligned teeth, a high palate, and visible gums when smiling),
• difficulties in speech and language development,
• increased risk of dental caries (drier mouth and altered saliva pH),
• poorer vision (astigmatism and myopia),
• changes in the function of the pelvis, knees, hips, and feet,
• may lead to anxiety and even depression.

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The Impact of Mouth Breathing on Speech Development

Due to differently developed facial bones, children who breathe through the mouth more often experience difficulties with the correct pronunciation of certain sounds. Problems most commonly occur with the pronunciation of sibilants and postalveolar sounds, as well as some other sounds produced in the front part of the oral cavity. Because of the incorrect facial structure and misaligned teeth, the tongue tends to protrude between the teeth during speech. This is known as interdental articulation.

Since mouth breathing also contributes to more frequent ear infections, attention must be paid to this aspect in speech and language development as well. Inflammation can interfere with the perception of speech sounds, making it difficult to learn correct pronunciation. At the same time, it affects the development of phonological awareness, which is crucial in the early stages of literacy development—it influences learning to read and write and has a significant impact on later academic success.

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What Can We Do?

It is crucial to be aware of the importance of nasal breathing, to pay attention to breathing patterns, and to intervene as early as possible when improper breathing is noticed in order to prevent further harmful consequences. It is advisable to consult appropriate professionals (e.g., holistic dentists and dental hygienists, pediatric dentists, orthodontists, pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists, speech-language therapists, craniosacral therapists, etc.), who can help identify the cause of improper breathing and provide appropriate guidance.

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Author: Anja Tkalec, Speech-Language Therapist

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Sources and Literature

Does your child breathe through the mouth? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://veva.si/ali-vas-otrok-diha-skozi-usta/

Mouth breathing negatively affects children’s smile, teeth, face and airways. (August 14, 2012). Retrieved from https://www.consciousbreathing.com/articles/mouth-breathing-negatively-affect-childrens-smile-teeth-face-airways/

Hitos, S. F., Arakaki, R., Solé, D., & Weckx, L. L. M. (2013). Oral breathing and speech disorders in children. Jornal de Pediatria, 89(4), 361–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2012.12.007

Causes and consequences of mouth breathing. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.vadbenaklinika.si/vzroki-in-posledice-dihanja-skozi-usta/

Proper nasal hygiene is often overlooked, yet it is an extremely important part of daily childcare and health. One of the most effective and simple measures is nasal irrigation with a saline or isotonic nasal solution, which gently removes excess mucus, allergens, and dust particles from the nasal cavity, enabling the child to breathe through the nose. Why is this important?

A Clear Nose Affects Proper Hearing and Speech Development

A blocked nose is not only uncomfortable but can also have serious consequences for a child’s hearing. Frequent colds or allergies can lead to blockage of the Eustachian tube—the tube that connects the nasal cavity with the middle ear. This can result in ear infections and conductive hearing loss, meaning that the child hears less well because sound cannot be effectively transmitted through the eardrum and ossicles to the higher auditory centers in the brain due to fluid buildup in the middle ear. Reduced hearing directly affects speech and language development. A child who does not hear well may consequently have poorer speech, while reduced hearing can also lead to shorter or more difficultly sustained auditory attention and impaired language comprehension. Therefore, a clear nasal passage is a prerequisite for normal development of auditory and speech-language abilities.

Nasal Breathing Supports Proper Development of the Face, Teeth, and Jaw

A clear nasal passage also plays an important role in the development of facial structures. When a child is not speaking and breathes through the nose, the mouth is closed and the tongue rests against the palate. Proper lip closure, nasal breathing, and correct tongue posture support healthy development of the jaw, dentition, and the entire facial structure. In contrast, mouth breathing often leads to malocclusion, improper tooth alignment, altered jaw development, and poor posture, which may cause additional long-term problems.

Nasal Irrigation – A Simple Routine with a Big Impact

Regular nasal irrigation with an isotonic solution, especially during the autumn and winter months, is a simple, safe, and effective method for maintaining nasal patency. It is recommended to regularly rinse a child’s nose, particularly if the child experiences chronic colds, recurrent ear infections, delayed or impaired speech, chronic allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies, or spends time in environments with dry air. This helps prevent mucus buildup, reduces the risk of infections, and enables easier breathing, better hearing, and optimal speech and physical development.

Proper nasal hygiene in children is not important only for easier breathing; it also provides the foundation for a child’s ability to communicate, listen, and learn speech and language. These are all reasons why cleansing the nose with an isotonic solution is one of the key factors in ensuring proper hearing and, consequently, progress in speech and language communication.

Author: Meta Dolinar, Professor of Special and Rehabilitation Pedagogy, Speech and Language Therapist / Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

On the first anniversary of GingoTalk, Petra and Meta share a personal reflection on how they found themselves where they are today. With heart and soul, they are dedicated to creating and sharing knowledge in the field of speech therapy. Their journey reflects a message they often share with parents of children with speech and language difficulties: progress takes time, but every step matters.

Why did you create this innovative product?

The co-founders of GingoTalk are speech therapists working daily with children in speech therapy clinics. Research shows that up to 30% of preschool children experience difficulties in at least one area of speech and language development, and this percentage is still increasing. We encounter these challenges every day in our clinical practice, and we felt a strong responsibility to contribute—at least in part—to addressing this issue and helping to slow this growing trend.

Based on the needs of daily practice, we first developed the Slovenian speech therapy cards “VEM–POVEM”, together with a professional instruction manual. Each set includes 300 cards, systematically organised according to the sounds of the Slovenian language. The cards are designed to strengthen communication through play, support sentence structure, and promote phonological awareness. They also address developmental disabilities and can serve as a foundation for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

To support this professional tool, we created an attractive and playful green mascot called Gingo. Practice has shown that children are more motivated and cooperative during play, so we designed a very special puppet with a long tongue and a movable mouth. This allows children to imitate movements that are essential for developing oral-motor skills.

We tested our idea and the puppet with a sample of children, and the responses were truly fantastic. We later added exercise cards with written and visual instructions to strengthen speech motor skills, available in three languages: Slovenian, English, and German. These cards provide parents and professionals with clear guidance and help them lead the exercises effectively. The puppet actively guides and motivates the child to repeat movements and breathing patterns that are important for producing specific speech sounds.

How does your innovation work in practice?

At the back of the Gingo puppet, there is an opening where we insert our hand to move its mouth. At the same time, we can place a finger into the tongue, making it fully movable.

Initially, the puppet can be used to establish contact with the child. For example, a child with autism spectrum disorder may find it difficult to focus on faces, eyes, or mouths. Through Gingo, the child can explore the mouth, examine the teeth, and interact with a responsive character. Gingo reacts—he may giggle, laugh loudly, or open his mouth wide and say “aaa.” If the child shows interest in continuing, we can set simple goals, such as interaction or encouraging vocalisation.

Gingo can also be presented as being very hungry. Since he is green, he wants to eat green food. We encourage the child to search for green objects, name them, and place them into Gingo’s mouth. Of course, Gingo chews a lot, gets his teeth dirty, and then needs to clean them—but he has forgotten his toothbrush! Instead, he “cleans” his teeth with his tongue, performing oral-motor exercises in a playful way.

The puppet is an excellent tool for reducing anxiety and emotional tension, especially in children who feel withdrawn during individual or group therapy. Gingo is a humorous character who often falls, makes mistakes, gets tired, or feels extremely happy—helping children overcome fear, improve mood, and feel safe.

Gingo also loves to exercise—not with his arms or legs, but with his tongue. He demonstrates exercises like lifting the tongue toward the nose, sometimes failing several times before succeeding. This encourages children to try as well: Who has the bigger tongue? Who can lift it higher? Gingo can also show exercises he cannot do, always in a funny and encouraging way. When a child succeeds, Gingo often succeeds too.

Children easily identify with Gingo because they, too, may struggle with certain exercises—especially children with more severe speech difficulties. In the next step, we introduce the idea that the child and Gingo will practise together. The accompanying exercise cards serve as a guide for both adults (parents and professionals) and children.

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How has GingoTalk been spreading?

We initially presented the Gingo puppet to parents, educators, teachers, special educators, and speech therapists in Slovenia. In recent months, we have noticed growing interest in Gingo from other countries as well—especially Croatia, Germany, Spain, and Norway. We truly believe that children across Europe can benefit from our innovation, and our goal is to expand it worldwide.

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If I want to try it, what should I do?

Get in touch with us! Visit our website www.gingotalk.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram (GingoTalk).
We are open to collaboration with educational and healthcare institutions, individual therapists, teachers, and other professionals. If you have an idea for cooperation, we welcome your questions and suggestions.

Don’t hesitate to contact us!

Puppets are excellent therapeutic and didactic tools that can also be used in speech therapy when working with children. There are several reasons for using a puppet during the communication and language development in children.

1. It’s easier to establish contact with a child

A child’s first contact with a speech therapist may be difficult since speech therapy usually takes place inside an infirmary in a less natural, unfamiliar environment. The child may feel less relaxed or even uncomfortable because of the presence of an unknown adult. It also may be difficult for the child to understand what is expected of him/her during the course of the therapy. For that reason, it is a good idea to introduce a puppet as a speech therapy assistant in order to reduce child’s anxiety. With the help of a friendly and likable puppet, in a relaxed atmosphere, you can explain to the child how the process of the treatment, therapy, or a particular exercise will look like. This way, it will be easier for the speech therapist to establish a trusting relationship with the child, which in turn has a positive effect on the success of the therapy.

2. It’s easier to clearly explain and demonstrate to the child how to arrange the speech organs (articulators) for appropriate speech production

A hand puppet with teeth, mouth, and tongue is ideally suited for the demonstration of articulation exercises, as well as to show to the child how he/she should arrange the speech organs to pronounce a given sound. At the next stage, we can swap the roles. The child can explain to the puppet how to pronounce or practice the pronunciation of a particular voice correctly. This way, by engaging the child in interesting exercises, he/she acquires the necessary knowledge to achieve better results in speech therapy.

3. Children are more likely to mimic the puppet than an adult

Younger children, in particular, find it easier to identify with a toy that is plush, cute, and colorful, than with an adult. The puppet increases the child’s interest, attention, and motivation. Therefore, the puppet helps not only with the articulation of individual sounds but also at the stage of their fixation into syllables, words, and sentences. Additionally, it effectively encourages the child to follow and repeat exercises.

4. The puppet encourages more spontaneous and relaxed speech and language communication in children

No other speech therapy tool encourages the child to act spontaneously and thus promote the vocabulary development and improvement of talking capabilities as effectively as puppets. When “speaking through the puppet” the child may feel more comfortable and at ease. Supporting such spontaneous activity is particularly important when working with children with delayed speech development or with speech disfluencies (e.g. stuttering).

5. Speech therapy turns into fun

The involvement of the child in speech therapy exercises is the key to effective progress. The hand puppet as a cheerful, colorful and cute “speech therapy assistant” helps us achieve this effect. First and foremost, therapy should be professional, but also dynamic and fun, since that is the only way to achieve the desired goals.

6. Using the puppet in the home environment

Parents can also use puppets or other similar toys to encourage speech and language communication through play in everyday situations. It should be used as a tool when the child is younger and speech production is still developing or when it’s observed that the child’s speech is delayed. We can animate the child with the puppet by telling fairy tales, flipping through books, or just talking. With the help of a puppet we encourage the child to increase the number of communication exchanges, to use a certain term more often, and to pronounce it even better. After the age of 3, children can already use the puppet in solo play while expressing themselves emotionally and developing imagination. If a child attends speech therapy, parents can use the puppet as a great motivational tool.

Using the puppet in speech therapy, everyday life or while playing with the child is one of the most effective tools for stimulation and development of manual skills, imagination, emotional expression. It also enables the child to relive certain events and helps with the general mental development and development of speech and language communication.

Written by Meta Dolinar, prof. special and rehabilitation pedagogics, speech therapist

REFERENCES

Sowula, A. 5 reasons to use puppets in speech therapy. Retrieved on 27.11.2018 from http://www.moowi.eu/5-reasons-to-use-puppets-in-speech-therapy/