Pioneering Speech, Feeding & Literacy Support with a Whole-Child Approach

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.

Why It Matters

• Communication underlies nearly every aspect of a child’s development -social relationships, learning, emotional regulation. Delays or difficulties can become “hidden disadvantages” if not addressed fully.
  
  
• With 1 in 5 UK children experiencing speech / language challenges, and many more with overlapping needs like feeding or swallowing, the need for services that combine specialisms is growing.
  
  
• Parents and caregivers often report long waits, patchy support, and confusion when different professionals are not communicating. Having a team like Write2Talk, where those areas are integrated, can make the therapy journey clearer, more efficient, and more effective.