Finding Solutions: Your Guide to Specialized Services at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection

As a parent, you have an incredible intuition. You notice when your child struggles to keep up, when their speech isn't quite clear, or when a simple habit like thumb sucking persists long past its time. At Mequon Speech and Learning Connection / Milwaukee Myo, we understand those concerns, and we're here to tell you that these challenges often connect back to a core element of health: how the muscles of the mouth and face function.

We don't just see a list of symptoms; we see the child—and the adult—who deserves to thrive. That’s why our approach is deeply specialized, combining the expertise of Speech-Language Pathology with advanced training in Orofacial Myology.

More Than Words: Finding Clarity in Speech and Language

Communication is a journey, and sometimes, the path gets bumpy.

Perhaps you constantly translate your four-year-old’s words because their speech sounds are consistently missing (omission) or swapped (substitution). Maybe they have a persistent lisp, or their language—the way they organize thoughts or follow directions—is hindering them in the classroom. Speech and articulation require over 70 muscles working precisely. When that fine motor skill isn't mastered, we step in.

For older children, the struggles can be more complex. They might have difficulty with Expressive Language (getting thoughts out) or Receptive Language (understanding what is said). Or perhaps you notice a sudden hesitation or repetition, making you worry about stuttering (fluency).

We treat communication as the bedrock of learning and self-esteem. If you have concerns, we urge you to reach out. Do not wait for your child to "outgrow" it; early intervention makes correcting these patterns much easier.

The Earliest Milestones: Nurturing Healthy Habits

The journey begins at birth. Our specialized services are there for the very youngest, starting with the most basic function: feeding.

Kim Harrison specializes in helping infants and toddlers. If your baby was recently diagnosed with a tongue/lip tie, we provide the suck retraining needed to build healthy skills. As children grow, these issues can evolve into being a "picky eater," having food texture aversions, or exhibiting signs of an Oral Motor Disorder—where the muscles can't coordinate chewing or moving food properly.

We also address the deep-seated habits that impact oral development, like thumb or finger sucking. With our 4-week elimination program (led by Jennie Herklotz and Kim Harrison) that uses no appliances, we help children break these habits before they cause long-term problems with the teeth and speech.

The Missing Link: Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)

This is the key piece of our specialized care. Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) are imbalances in the muscles of the face and mouth. This could look like breathing through an open mouth at rest or having an improper tongue thrust swallow.

These seemingly small habits have huge consequences. They affect the way your child's face and jaw develop, contribute to chronic issues like TMJ or reflux, and are linked to conditions like obstructive sleep apnea.

Through OMD therapy, we retrain the tongue to sit in its proper place on the roof of the mouth. This simple repositioning can stabilize the airway, improve swallowing, help correct some speech sound errors, and work alongside your orthodontist to maintain dental structure.

Ready to Find the Answers?

No matter the age—from infant to young adult—we offer the individualized and comprehensive therapeutic services that your family needs. We are here to offer screenings, evaluations, and consultations to determine if therapy is the right path.

Don’t wait to see if it disappears. Contact to the highly trained Orofacial Myologists and Speech-Language Pathologists at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection / Milwaukee Myo to start the conversation. Call us today at 262-302-4166.