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What is orofacial myology?

Orofacial Myology which is sometimes referred to as myofunctional therapy. This style of therapy is done by a Speech Pathologist, Dentists, Dental hygienist and therapists. It involves neuromuscular manipulation or re-patterning of the oral and facial muscles to correct abnormal growth patterns of these structures.

Normal shape and function of the oral and facial muscles are essential for facial and dental development, speech production and breathing. The correct growth and development of these structures are linked to correct speech sound development and reduces the likelihood of requiring braces or developing obstructive sleep apnoea.

Conditions which can be treated with Orofacial Myology

There are a number of conditions that may require Orofacial Myology treatment and while this form of therapy may not directly treat a condition, it should significantly reduce the amount of time spent on other therapies such as articulation therapy with a speech pathologist. Some common conditions include:

  • Eliminating speech errors such as an interdental lisp. This is where the tongue protrudes through the teeth when making the ‘s’ sound.
  • Rectify crowding of the teeth caused by narrow development of the roof of the mouth. If done prior to the growth of the roof of the mouth or palate stabilising, extractions of permanent teeth which may need to be done to gain more space in the mouth may be avoided. Therapy can also help to avoid having to be fitted with braces or more invasive jaw surgery as the teeth have room to erupt and therefore do not get pushed out of place and end up crooked.
  • Eliminating abnormal non-nutritive habits such as dummy, finger or thumb sucking
  • Eliminating mouth breathing and training nasal breathing which leads to increased energy and better sleep patterns
  • Eliminating faulty swallowing patterns that cause tongue thrust and lead to an open-bite which would require extensive dental work to correct
  • Preventing scar tissue from forming after a tongue-tie or fraenulum release

Contact us for results focused speech therapy

This article was written by our Speech Pathologist Ashleigh Fattah who is a Speech Pathology Australia member. If you have questions about language activities, make an appointment. We‘ll provide you with simple and effective therapy targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post What is Orofacial Mylology? appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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The Indian diet has earned the reputation of being high in fat and carbohydrates due to the greasy naan breads and the butter chicken people usually go for at restaurants. This paints the picture that an Indian diet is not for the health conscious person. This however is not true. Although the Indian dietary pattern can include calorie dense foods, there is a plethora of healthy Indian meals one can include in their diet. There are options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Note: The words in italics are explained in the section below

Tips to enjoy healthy Indian dishes in the restaurant

  • Opting for baked papad. Avoid fried versions
  • Share appetizers
  • Opting for a soup which is lentil based rather than a coconut milk based one as it has a higher saturated fat content.
  • Opting for a plain chappati or a naan rather than a one with which is swimming in ghee or oil. Avoid puris and parathas as they are laden with fat.
  • Opt for chicken Tandoori dishes over chicken tikka masala . Chicken Tandoori Masala is cooked in loads of cream. Chicken tandoori on the other hand is grilled or baked in a hotoven.
  • Chicken, shrimp and vegetable biryani is healthier than lamb and beef as it is lower than fat. Meat kebabs and vegetables is also a good option.
  • Portion control of rice. If you find the dish is primarily rice based, ordering a simple salad onthe side is a good option.
  • Share the desserts as they too are high in fat and sugar.

Cooking Indian dishes at home

  • Replace cream with evaporated skim milk.
  • Avoid excessively cooking dishes which use coconut milk as it is high in saturated fat andcalories.
  • Use alternative options for rice such as barley, oats and cracked wheat.
  • When cooking a dish which has potato or other starchy vegetables, cut down on the rice.
  • Opt for the non-starchy vegetables such as tomato, onion and mushroom instead of alwaysthe starchy vegetables such as potato.
  • Choose roti over paratha or naan as to cut down on calories and saturated fat.
  • Reduce the use of ghee, butter, oil as well as salt and add alternatives such as vegetable broth, vegetables fruit juice, herbs, spices, skim milk or skim milk powder.
  • Legume dishes such as dal and channa masala can provide loads of protein and fibre and are a suitable alternative to meat dishes.
Indian meal names and their meaning

Roti
Unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour. It can be wrapped around pieces of food, used to scoop up sauces and curries.

Naan:
Leavened bread made from maida, an Indian white flour that is very delicate and powdery, similar to pastry flour.

Paratha
It is made of wheat flour with oil and the base is thick, usually mixed with vegetables.

Tandoori
Clay oven

Channa masala
Indian dish made up of chickpeas

Dal
Cooked dried, split pulses

Biryani
An Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat, fish or vegetables.

Puris
A small, round piece of bread made of unleavened wheat flour, deep fried and served with meat or vegetables.

Papad
Thin, crisp cracker made with lentil or rice flower.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post Healthy alternatives with a Indian diet appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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The Indian diet has earned the reputation of being high in fat and carbohydrates due to the greasy naan breads and the butter chicken people usually go for at restaurants. This paints the picture that an Indian diet is not for the health conscious person. This however is not true. Although the Indian dietary pattern can include calorie dense foods, there is a plethora of healthy Indian meals one can include in their diet. There are options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Note: The words in italics are explained in the section below

Tips to enjoy healthy Indian dishes in the restaurant

  • Opting for baked papad. Avoid fried versions
  • Share appetizers
  • Opting for a soup which is lentil based rather than a coconut milk based one as it has a higher saturated fat content.
  • Opting for a plain chappati or a naan rather than a one with which is swimming in ghee or oil. Avoid puris and parathas as they are laden with fat.
  • Opt for chicken Tandoori dishes over chicken tikka masala . Chicken Tandoori Masala is cooked in loads of cream. Chicken tandoori on the other hand is grilled or baked in a hotoven.
  • Chicken, shrimp and vegetable biryani is healthier than lamb and beef as it is lower than fat. Meat kebabs and vegetables is also a good option.
  • Portion control of rice. If you find the dish is primarily rice based, ordering a simple salad onthe side is a good option.
  • Share the desserts as they too are high in fat and sugar.

Cooking Indian dishes at home

  • Replace cream with evaporated skim milk.
  • Avoid excessively cooking dishes which use coconut milk as it is high in saturated fat andcalories.
  • Use alternative options for rice such as barley, oats and cracked wheat.
  • When cooking a dish which has potato or other starchy vegetables, cut down on the rice.
  • Opt for the non-starchy vegetables such as tomato, onion and mushroom instead of alwaysthe starchy vegetables such as potato.
  • Choose roti over paratha or naan as to cut down on calories and saturated fat.
  • Reduce the use of ghee, butter, oil as well as salt and add alternatives such as vegetable broth, vegetables fruit juice, herbs, spices, skim milk or skim milk powder.
  • Legume dishes such as dal and channa masala can provide loads of protein and fibre and are a suitable alternative to meat dishes.
Indian meal names and their meaning

Roti
Unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour. It can be wrapped around pieces of food, used to scoop up sauces and curries.

Naan:
Leavened bread made from maida, an Indian white flour that is very delicate and powdery, similar to pastry flour.

Paratha
It is made of wheat flour with oil and the base is thick, usually mixed with vegetables.

Tandoori
Clay oven

Channa masala
Indian dish made up of chickpeas

Dal
Cooked dried, split pulses

Biryani
An Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat, fish or vegetables.

Puris
A small, round piece of bread made of unleavened wheat flour, deep fried and served with meat or vegetables.

Papad
Thin, crisp cracker made with lentil or rice flower.

Benefits of an Indian Diet

The Indian diet, especially the Indian vegetarian diet, can provide a number of health benefits if followed the right way. The reason is that the Indian vegetarian diet is primarily plant based which is associated with a lower risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes. In fact, legumes which are a big part of the Indian diet are now being consumed by Australians in curries, added to salads or included in sandwiches and wraps. In addition, Indian spices such as turmeric have gained popularity all over the world due to their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Contact us for results focused on nutritional advice

This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post Healthy alternatives with a Indian diet appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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What to focus on when teaching your child to read and write

When teaching your child how to read, there are so many things to focus on and it may seem like an overwhelming task if they have no awareness of any sounds or are constantly making mistakes. Below I will go through some good places to start and some key points to focus on.

Know the sounds not the names

Many parents start to teach the alphabet letters by their names. While the alphabet song is a nice way to start, knowing the names of each letter does not help us to read words. It is the sounds that each letter makes that help us to read. Therefore, when you introduce each letter, it is actually better to teach its sounds to give your child a head start. Better yet, get them to identify words with those sounds in them.

Focus on accuracy not speed

Many parents get caught up on pushing their child to read as quickly as possible. This often leads to guessing and sight word reading. The aim of reading, however, is not to be able to do it quickly but to access the meaning and information from written materials. Therefore, it is no good being able to read materials quickly if the meaning of the information is changes. Focus on getting your child to read at his or her own pace and ensuring that your child is sound out each word accurately.

Identify cluster sounds

Clustered letters such as ‘sh’, ‘ch’ and ‘th’ come together to form one sound. Work with your child to see if they can just find these letter groups first. Once your child is able to find these letter clusters, you can then work on practicing the sounds each cluster make.

Contact us for results focused speech therapy

This article was written by our Speech Pathologist Ashleigh Fattah who is a Speech Pathology Australia member. If you have questions about language activities, make an appointment. We‘ll provide you with simple and effective therapy targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.

The post What to focus on when teaching your child to read and write appeared first on ENT Wellbeing Sydney.

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Do you have trouble maintaining a healthy weight? Do you exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet, but still find that you are sluggish and can’t stop gaining weight? Do you eat everything you can, but you keep losing weight and having digestive tract issues? Your problem may not lie in anything you’re doing or eating. You simply may have a problem with your thyroid gland.

By producing thyroid hormones including triiodothronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4), your thyroid gland controls your body’s metabolism. Effectively, your thyroid gland is in charge of how your body uses the energy (in calories) that you put into it. If you have hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid – you will not be able to gain weight. You’ll feel weak and sweaty, even when you’re resting. Your will most likely be increased, and no matter how much you eat, you’ll still feel hungry. Digestive issues like GI upset are often present, as well. Hyperthyroidism can cause anxiety and cardiac symptoms like palpitations, but your doctor can tell the difference, diagnose you, and get you the right treatment to slow your metabolism so that you can gain weight and regain energy [1].

Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, happens when the thyroid gland does not produce enough T3 and T4. Your metabolism will slow down dramatically, causing abnormal weight gain. As with hyperthyroidism, you’ll feel tired and sluggish. You may also experience hair loss and a sensitivity to cold [1].

Hyperthyroidism treatment often begins with a prescription for beta blockers, which should decrease some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as elevated heart rates, tremors, and anxiety. Anti-thyroid medication is prescribed to slow the production of T3 and T4. For some patients who have hyperthyroidism which does not respond to medical treatment, surgery is required, and the thyroid is removed.

If the thyroid is removed, the patient who was just dealing with hyperthyroid problems will now have to deal with hypothyroid problems. These, though, are more easily treated. Treatment for an underactive thyroid requires hormone replacement therapy, which is a lot easier than it sounds. Hormone replacement therapy is a medical term for taking prescription medicine, which will produce the hormones that the inactive (or absent) thyroid gland would otherwise be producing. In most cases, the patient will have to take thyroid hormone tablets for the rest of their life, especially if the thyroid gland has been removed.

Thyroid disease also includes thyroid nodules, lumps that occasionally form on the thyroid, which may give the sensation of a lump in the throat [2]. Thyroid lumps should be checked by a doctor to ensure accurate diagnosis. Fortunately, more often than not, thyroid lumps are not cancerous. Specific treatment depends on the diagnosis. In most cases of thyroid cancer, the thyroid gland is removed, and hormone replacement therapy is prescribed for the rest of the patient’s life.

Symptoms relating to thyroid disease may include sudden weight loss or gain, a lack of energy or digestive issues. If you experience these symptoms then you should absolutely consult with your doctor. Thyroid disease can be treated in non-invasive ways if it is caught early. If you wait to see if the disease will go away on its own, you may be in for a rude awakening. Thyroid problems do not heal themselves, and waiting for diagnosis and treatment will usually lead to poor health for a protracted period of time.

Your best bet if you think you have an issue with your thyroid gland is to seek medical help immediately. Whether your thyroid is overactive or underactive, your chances of leading a normal, healthy life are far greater if you begin treatment sooner rather than later.

If you have questions or concerns about the thyroid gland see your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.

[1] Thyroid Problems eMedicine Health. Retrieved on 2013-10-29.

[2] “New York Thyroid Center: Thyroid Nodules”. Retrieved 2013-10-29.

The post Do You Have a Healthy Thyroid appeared first on Thyroid Clinic Sydney.

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