FACIAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

AS PARENTS WE WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN

Many significant growth and developmental milestones occur during our first 18 months of life. In fact, 60% of child’s facial development is completed by age 6, and 90% by age 12.

As children grow, proper breathing is essential to their health, development, and educational success. Early detection and correction of airway problems can be integral to optimizing this fundamental and critical physiology. Airway evaluation is an important part of the process.
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Using precision diagnostic technologies and methodologies, our physicians are able to detect and correct any growth and development issues that may be present before thy lead to any more serious comorbidities.

WHAT CAN INFLUENCE FACIAL DEVELOPMENT?

  • Functioning of muscles
  • Proper nutrition
  • Ability to breathe normally

​Some of the most common facial development abnormalities seen in children are caused by a compromised airway or the inability to breathe properly through the nose. Children who can not breathe well through their nose tend to breathe more through their mouth. This sets up a chain of events which may severely impact not only the health of a child but also the way a child’s facial features develop, and ultimately the way a child looks as an adult.

DOES YOUR CHILD ?

- Snore?
- have loud breathing when asleep?
- have nasal congestion?
- breathe mostly through his or her mouth?
- Have you ever observed your child pause in his or her breathing during sleep?
- Is your child a restless sleeper?
​- Is your child excessively sleepy?
- Is your child hyperactive or inattentive?

HOW DOES BREATHING AFFECT DEVELOPMENT?

​HOW DOES MOUTH BREATHING AFFECT FACIAL DEVELOPMENT?

It’s easy to forget how strong the tongue can really be (Can exert from 40-80 kPa). The tongue often positions itself in the lower jaw to allow a child to breathe more readily through the mouth. This pressure changes the growth of the lower jaw so that it grows more vertically, making the child’s face grow longer. Since nasal breathing is severely compromised by this, the upper jaw and mid-face (nasal bones, cheek bones, and bones supporting the tissue of the face) fail to develop at a normal rate because the natural growth stimulant of air flow through the nose is absent. This results in a deficiency of growth of the upper jaw and mid-face, which added to the long facial growth from the lower jaw directly impacts the facial balance, beauty and function of a child and later as an adult.
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A poorly formed maxilla (upper jaw) also affects the eye sockets that support and shape the eyeball, it supports the nasal airways, leading to deviated septum, asymmetrical noses, snoring and sleep apnea. An underdeveloped jaw can lead to forward head posture, which helps to open the airways- however, throws off the alignment of the spine and body. This poor posture then leads to headaches, teeth grinding, neck/shoulder tension, fatigue.

enlarged adenoids and tonsils

​Enlarged adenoids and tonsils are by far the most common causes of airway compromise in children. Enlarged adenoids can block a child’s nasal passage completely, they can cause sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea where breathing is stopped altogether. The most current literature indicates that tonsils and adenoids serve to bolster the immune system during the first two years of life. After that, there seems to be no obvious function and a child can live normally without them.

​​pediatric sleep apnea

​Sleep disorders in children and adolescents are common; even infants may have sleep disorders. Studies have shown that poor sleep quality and/or quantity in children are associated with a host of problems, including academic, behavioral, developmental and social difficulties, weight abnormalities, and other health problems. Not only do pediatric sleep problems affect child health, but they can impact family dynamics and parental or sibling sleep. Children may suffer from problems with falling or staying asleep; from physiological problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, to abnormal or disruptive sleep behaviors such as sleepwalking and other parasomnias such as restless legs syndrome, and even daytime symptoms such as excessive sleepiness, and others. While adults may suffer from the same problems, the etiology, presentation, and associated findings in children may be very different than those seen in adult.

jenni june and dr. zaghi interview
Interview: Make sure your child doesn't have a sleep disorder before they go back to school. Sleep expert Dr. Zaghi taking questions! ​

Case study

3 year-old girl with sleep-disordered breathing, swallow, and speech issues treated with myofunctional therapy and minor surgical procedure (tongue-tie and lip-tie release). ​

​​​benefits of early examination, diagnosis and treatment:

  1. Removes harmful factors influencing growth
  2. Excellent ages for growth guidance and restoring normal growth
  3. Assist in improving the psychological well-being of the child
  4. Saves some patients from future jaw surgery
  5. Can assist in building better bites and smiles - preventing crowded/crooked teeth
 
Blocked airways and poor tongue posture can trigger excess adrenaline. Many studies have shown compromised airways and improper breathing as a contributing factor to ADHD in children. Many serious sleep issues can be attributed to poorly formed airways

Our team prides ourselves on precision diagnosis and treatment of airway issues. We check for proper development of the jaw and harmony of the face. We also screen for breathing and oral habits which may over time, result in abnormal dentofacial development. By working with the natural growth instead of against it, we can prevent problems from beginning, or becoming worse, and give your child a lifetime of healthy smiles and deep breathing! 

If your child is tired all the time as a result of interrupted sleep related to the nasal blockage which typically worsens at night, give us a call to schedule a consultation. It's never too late to start breathing right.

signs and symptoms

  • Mouth Breathing- Lips apart
  • Chapped Lips
  • Venous Pooling beneath the eyes- dark circles beneath the eyes
  • Changes in head posture - posturing the head forward and/or tipping the forehead backwards
  • Tongue-tie/lip-tie
  • Tongue-thrusting
  • ​Deviated septum
  • Tonsil and Adenoid Problems - Chronic sinus problems, throat problems
  • Snoring – Snoring is not a natural thing for children
  • Loud grinding of teeth during sleep
  • Bed wetting
  • Reflux in the Eustachian Tube
  • Frequent ear infections
  • Chronic sinus infections
  • Allergies
  • Clenching/grinding
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Picky eating