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Orofacial Myofunctional Services

In order to properly speak, breathe, and swallow, the muscles in our face, mouth, and throat need to be structured in the correct position and coordinated as they move together.

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What is Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder? 

Orofacial myofunctional disorder presents as atypical movement of the face and mouth muscles. This involves movement patterns of the tongue, lips, jaw, face, and many other interconnected muscles involved in the cranio-facial-respiratory system.

Presentation of OMD can affect talking, swallowing, allergies, asthma, sleep apnea, tongue thrust, dentition, as well as facial and jaw placement. PASTS is here to effectively strengthen muscles and repair habits that improve quality of life.

How a Speech-Language Pathologist Can Help with Orofacial Myofunctional Services?

Evaluation

Our certified orofacial myofunctional therapists are trained to identify the areas of need to improve the strength positions and coordination of the mouth and throughout muscles. An evaluation analyzes the coordination of oral muscle movements for speech articulation deficits, drooling or open-mouth posture, disordered sleep patterns or difficulty swallowing with lips closed.

Implementation

The general objectives for OMT include: Practicing oral muscle exercises, creating a lips-together mouth posture, stopping pacifier or thumb sucking, improving speech articulation, creating a more mature swallow function, and habituating appropriate tongue placement.

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Meet Our Team

Laura Elliott Adams

Robin Ottesen

Jose Barajas

Angelica Lee

Allison Loy

Danielle Samson

Laurie Gambetta

Julia Caserta

Riley Chycota

Brandon Seay

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How To Get Started

Consultation

If you have questions about speech-language symptoms, please contact us today to speak directly with a speech-language pathologist for guidance.

Get Connected

Call us today for an online link to our intake forms.

Get Started

As soon as you complete your intake form, we will contact you to set up your first appointment. 

Client Testimonials

"I can't thank Laura / PA Speech Therapy enough. In around two months, my child's lisp was resolved! Our experience far exceeded my expectations. My child loved working with Laura whose kind and gentle demeanor was instantly disarming. I loved Laura's professionalism and expertise. The results speak for themselves! Thank you, Laura."
-A.O.
-A.O.
"I wholeheartedly recommend Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy Services, Inc. to anyone in need of top-tier speech therapy in San Jose, CA. Their commitment to excellence, personalized approach, and exceptional results truly make them the best in the business. Choosing Peninsula Associates is an investment in your or your loved one's speech and communication skills, and I am grateful for the positive impact they have made."
- T.M.
- T.M.
"I am very happy with Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy in San Jose. Karter is an AMAZING speech therapist! She is great with my son. She is always happy to see us, thrilled with my son's progress & understanding when there is a lull. The office is clean & organized. Other staff are welcoming & pleasant to talk to. I'm so grateful for the consistent therapy and support my son & I get from Karter at Peninsula Associates Speech Therapy Services."
-S.K.
-S.K.
"Highly recommend Peninsula Associates! My kid’s communication skills have grown so much thanks to knowledgeable, kind, and hard working SLPs at Peninsula Associates. As a parent, staff is super easy to communicate and reliable to work together"
- Y.C.
- Y.C.
"We have 3-year-old twins with speech delays and have seen a tremendous improvement since we began seeing Heather at Peninsula Associates. The boys love going every week and think of it as “play time with Miss Heather.” I appreciate that each of my twins are getting 1:1 time and attention for their unique needs and learning styles. After every session we get detailed feedback on each boy’s progress and actionable goals to work with them on at home. This practice is highly professional and accommodating. I highly recommend them."
- K.V.
- K.V.
"We have been with Peninsula Associates for a few months now and absolutely love the service we are getting. Our daughter is making so much progress and Melanie has been incredible with her! We would definitely recommend their services."
- R.M.
- R.M.
"We have worked with Laura Adams from Peninsula Associates for several years and have come to rely on her speech and language services. Her collaboration with Santa Cruz Montessori has been sensitive to our families' and school's needs, reliable, professional, and relevant, and we can whole-heartedly recommend her."
- J.T.
- J.T.
"We have worked with Laura Adams from Peninsula Associates for several years and have come to rely on her speech and language services. Her collaboration with Santa Cruz Montessori has been sensitive to our families' and school's needs, reliable, professional, and relevant, and we can whole-heartedly recommend her."
- J.T.
- J.T.
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FAQs

faq

Newborns with congenital problems may have communication-related needs from birth, and a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is part of a neonatal multidisciplinary team. We often work with infants and toddlers at an early age (12-24 months) in areas such as swallowing and feeding, hearing and listening, oral-motor and speech, and attention and socialization.

You don’t necessarily know for sure. A speech-language pathologist can help you answer this question. Some indicators that might lead you to seek a consultation or screening are:
  • The child’s skills are immature compared to others in his playgroup or preschool.
  • Family members or friends alert you to differences that they observe.
  • The child’s developmental pattern is unusual compared to others his age.
  • There is a family history of speech, language, or learning problems.
  • There have been health issues, such as ear infections, which can impact communication.
A fully qualified speech-language pathologist must have a master’s degree from an accredited program, maintain a California speech pathology license, and hold a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Many of our staff also have experience and advanced training in specialty areas.

Peninsula Associates has several talented clinicians with different specializations. Our director of operations will identify which speech-language pathologist is available and appropriate for a new client. Most clients are seen 2-4 weeks after the paperwork has been completed. There is sometimes a waiting period if a new children’s group is being formed, but we may see the new child individually in the interim.

PASTS, Inc. offers both private-pay and fee-for-service practice and we are an in-network provider for a growing number of insurance carriers. We also have close relationships with Sutter Health, Lucille Packard, and Palo Alto Medical Foundation pediatricians, specialists, and clinicians. We can often obtain single-case agreements with other Insurance to access speech therapy benefits for your particular health insurance plan. Please contact our office to see how we can help you access your insurance benefits.