09/01/2026
Airway and Oral Health!
As a paediatric chiropractor, I see it every week, kids who mouth breathe, snore, struggle with sleep, emotional regulation, focus, or behaviour and parents who are told “they’ll grow out of it.”
Unfortunately open mouth breathing is NOT a harmless habit.
When a child breathes through their mouth instead of their nose, it can affect:
• airway development
• jaw and facial growth
• sleep quality
• nervous system regulation
• behaviour, focus and emotional resilience
What we know is poor sleep means poor oxygenation and that presents as a nervous system that’s constantly stressed.
The good news is that we can do something about it — early.
True airway health is team care, not a one size fits all approach. For optimal outcomes, children need:
1️⃣ Paediatric chiropractic assessment
→ supporting spinal, cranial and nervous system function so the body can regulate and breathe efficiently
2️⃣ Functional dental assessment
→ looking at jaw development, tongue posture, palate width & oral habits
3️⃣ OMT / Speech therapy assessment
→ retraining tongue posture, swallowing patterns and nasal breathing
4️⃣ Naturopathic support
→ addressing inflammation, allergies, gut health & nutritional foundations
When we support how a child breathes, we support how they sleep, behave, learn and grow.
Early assessment means empowered parents and thriving kids.
There are some amazing practitioners here in Perth, so if you need some recommendations for some in your area, please reach out and we would be happy to help.
