Every family knows that speech, feeding, and written language don’t exist in isolation in a child’s life. They overlap, influence each other, and impact confidence, learning, socialisation, and wellbeing. At Write2Talk, we believe therapy should reflect that whole picture. Here’s what makes us different and why that matters.

The Scale of the Need

• In the UK around 2 million children are currently struggling with talking and understanding words. That’s approximately 1 in 5 children. 
  
  
• Children with speech and language challenges are more likely to face mental health issues. One report found that 81% of children experiencing mental health problems also have significant, often undiagnosed, speech and language difficulties.
  
  
• In outcome data from SLT services, the most common types of need are:
  
  
  1. Developmental Language Disorder / difficulties (~30%)
     
     
  2. Speech sound disorders (~21%)
     
     
  3. Autism (~9%) 
     
     
     

These numbers tell us: there is both high demand and high interconnection between communication issues and other aspects of child development.

What Is Oromyofunctional Therapy (OMT)
​“Oromyofunctional” refers to how the muscles of the mouth (tongue, lips, face) function at rest, during speech, feeding, breathing, and swallowing. If posture, strength, coordination or the resting position of the tongue and other muscles are off, it can affect:

• how clearly a child speaks (articulation, clarity)
  
  
• how well they chew and swallow (feeding)
  
  
• their breathing (mouth breathing vs nasal breathing)
  
  
• dental and facial growth (jaw alignment, palate shape)
  
  

There is emerging evidence that OMT can help. For example, a study found that after 12 months of OMT, 38% of children achieved a closed lip position at rest, compared to 25% in a group who did not receive the therapy. 

What Other Therapies Focus On And How We Integrate Them
While many speech and language therapy (SLT) services focus on expressive language (speech production) or receptive language (understanding), often literacy and feeding issues are dealt with separately. This can leave gaps.
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At Write2Talk, we integrate:

• Spoken language - clarity, grammar, expressive & receptive skills
  
  
• Written language / dyslexia support -reading, spelling, comprehension
  
  
• Feeding and oromyofunctional aspects -including muscle strength, swallowing, breathing, tongue posture
  
  
  

Because these areas interact. For example:

• A child with poor tongue posture might struggle with certain speech sounds and with feeding textures.
  
  
• Mouth breathing (a common oromyofunctional issue) can affect sleep, which in turn affects attention, behaviour, and ability to engage- all of which impact learning.
  
  
  

Outcomes & Aspirations
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Families working with us often report:

• Clearer speech sounds, more intelligible speech
  
  
• Improvement in feeding: safer chewing, improved variety of foods, less anxiety at mealtimes
  
  
• Better oral posture: more nasal breathing, lips at rest, improved tongue resting position
  
  
• More confidence in written work: reading, spelling, comprehension
  
  
  

We believe early, integrated intervention makes a big difference. Delaying or segmenting (i.e. treating each issue in isolation) often means slower progress, frustration, and sometimes a need for more intensive support later.

Breathing is automatic, so we rarely think about how we breathe, yet it has a profound impact on our health, speech, and even facial development.

Studies show that chronic mouth breathing in childhood can be linked to:

• Altered jaw growth and dental alignment
  
  
• Increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing
  
  
• Poorer concentration and daytime fatigue
  
  

At Write2Talk, we champion an oromyofunctional approach in all areas of our speech and language therapy. This means we look at how the muscles of the mouth, face, and tongue work together for speech, feeding, and breathing.
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Why Nasal Breathing Matters
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Nasal breathing:

• Filters, warms, and humidifies air before it reaches the lungs
  
  
• Promotes good tongue posture (against the palate), essential for healthy jaw and palate development
  
  
• Encourages proper lip seal and oral rest posture
  
  
• Can improve sleep quality, focus, and overall wellbeing
  

What Are Feeding Difficulties?

Feeding difficulties may include:

• Limited food variety or extreme “picky eating”
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing safely
• Sensory aversions to textures, smells, or temperatures
• Anxiety or distress around mealtimes
  
  

They often occur alongside conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing differences, or oral motor delays.

How Feeding Therapy Helps
Feeding therapy is more than just encouraging children to “try a bite.” It’s a structured process that considers:

• Oral motor skills for chewing and swallowing
• Sensory processing of food textures and flavours
• Emotional and behavioural responses to eating
  
  

With expert support, families can learn how to:

• Make mealtimes calmer and less stressful
  
• Support safe swallowing and chewing
  
• Gradually increase food variety in a way that feels safe for the child
  
  

At Write2Talk, we combine this knowledge with our broader expertise in speech, language, and oromyofunctional therapy, helping children develop the strength and coordination needed for successful feeding.

They watch
From an early age, children are watching your actions and expressions, your mouth as you speak, your eyes and your body language.
Leona tell us that babies “watch their parents, siblings and friends talking, and after a few weeks, they start to play with speech sounds. Babies are primed to be sociable as historically their survival depended on it. This watching continues throughout childhood as children watch others walking, eating, using objects as well as talking and socialising.
“At around 6 weeks of age, they will smile, and this magic moment helps pave the way to interactive communication.”

They imitate
After watching and listening to your speech and actions, your child will begin to imitate them.
Leona says: “Even babies a few days old, are primed to imitate actions like sticking out their tongues. Imitation is one of main ways children learn new skills, whether this is copying what to do with a spoon or imitating how people say they want something.  Through copying and trial and error learning, children expand their ability to communicate their needs.  Sometimes, if sign language is used with young babies, they can copy the signs before they are able to say the words.  Natural gestures like pointing can also be copied by children as part of their communication system.”

They listen
Listening starts from sounds in the womb; “most amazingly babies can even respond differently to certain speech sounds.”  Children are always listening and picking up sounds around them, “as well as the rhythm and pitch of the speech they hear. 
“Babies babble and play with speech sounds, gradually shaping the sounds they hear around them to the language spoken.”

They explore
Always curious, children love to investigate and explore what’s around them and interact with what they find. To play is to explore. Leona elaborates on exploration and its role in learning: “Very young babies start to play with sounds, cooing, gurgling and blowing raspberries! All this helps to strengthen the mouth and tongue movements involved in speech.  As their first words emerge at around 1 year of age, they unwittingly explore the impact of these words on others.  How many fathers have been overjoyed with their baby’s first word ‘dada’?  The pleasure parents show their babies when they speak and interact encourages this dynamic to develop further. 
“When children start to explore with toys like rattles and shakers, they are learning about cause and effect.  Essentially a shake results in a sound.  If you also play and talk with your child, they will watch, listen and copy, hanging on your every word.”

They use language for purpose
As children begin to use objects and language for purpose, they learn to conjure up words and sentences to communicate needs and share information. Leona adds that “this increasingly becomes more complex as their brains develop and their interactions with the world become more frequent.”






Now that we know how children pick up speech and language, here’s how to maximise their learning through play…
Opt for open-ended toys
Open-ended toys encourage your child to ‘do all the doing’. These are toys and games that require practical interaction from your child. There are plenty of specifically designed toys available to encourage this kind of behaviour, but you can also use random objects from around the house to create this form of play too. Leona’s advice is to ditch the computer games and keep it old school: “Traditional toys like inset puzzles, farmyard animals, toy food and cars are much better for developing language than computer games.
“There are lots of games you can make up using household items. Talking about the objects as well as the actions with the objects can really help develop their language.  Think of all the language that can come from playing with a ball; roll, throw, catch, kick and drop are but a few.”

Turn everyday activities into games for language development
You might be surprised about how everyday activities can help. Leona will guide you through some examples and the benefits they carry:
“Getting food ready while you talk about what you are doing is a great way to introduce everyday vocabulary.  Shops are also perfect for expanding a child’s vocabulary as you talk about what you can see around you.  Even doing the washing up can be an opportunity for labelling your actions like splashing, scrubbing, washing and drying. Bath time is a wonderful moment to sing, recount nursery rhymes, explore with bath toys and learn the names of body parts.   There are fantastic books for children from babies up that support children to learn word and sound play.  Sharing books together before sleep time can help promote language, closeness and routine.”

Cast gender aside
Don’t get caught up in conformity and encourage your child to play with the toys they enjoy most – regardless of whether it fits their gender stereotype. If your boy shows interest towards a baby doll or if your girl likes jumping toy monster trucks, let them play away.
Baby dolls can be very useful when it comes to helping children with their language development. The doll presents an opportunity to label body parts that may already be somewhat familiar to your child; whether that’s through songs like ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ or simple tricks like stealing their nose and magically turning it into your thumb. By showing and naming body parts on the doll, your child can repeat the words whilst simultaneously pointing to their own features. Similarly, dressing your and naming the clothes as you put them on can help to encourage your child to talk along with you. Role playing verbs and feelings with the doll helps your child to understand words like ‘tired’, ‘hungry’ and ‘bath time’ (this can also be useful for potty training!).
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Get creative with open-ended play
Let your child immerse themselves in their imaginative perceptions of real-life situations. Open up a make-believe restaurant and have your child take your order and bring you some food (you may or may not wish to leave a tip); promote your child to store manager and have them help you organise food and drink in your home-made grocery shop; save the world together as the most fearsome superhero duo since Batman and Robin. These are, of course, only examples so feel free to come up with your own. Remember to keep focused on your language level. As much as you want to broaden your child’s vocabulary, keep your sentences simple while you run through open-ended play. Your child is more likely to stay confident, chatty and motivated during play if they find you easy to understand.
Leona highlights the importance of social interaction during open-ended play: “What you will notice if your child goes to nursery is how your child copies other children in play.  Imaginative play is important as it enables children to practice language and interactions in a social way.  One minute they may be a teacher, whilst in another they are a bus driver.  Throughout this imaginative play, they are often describing what they are doing, asking questions, negotiating and sharing ideas with others.”

Use your presence
​Independent play is important for children as it helps their trial and error learning, but your presence is crucial for developing speech and language. “This starts from birth when you are changing nappies and talking to your baby or pushing your child around in a pushchair pointing out things around them,” says Leona. “A useful tip is to have the pushchair facing you so they can see your face for clues as to how to make the sounds and words.”
Whatever means of play you and your child choose to engage in, your presence is what makes it a learning experience. “It is the interaction between your child, you and others that develops language and communication.  Remember, computer games tend not to involve this two-way interaction so they’re less useful for this purpose.”