SpotPal

Tongue Ties & Myo

Assessment to Referral and Beyond

Spot Pal is a custom fit tongue training appliance designed to correct tongue resting posture, eliminate a tongue thrust swallow, and support the elimination of oral habits.

Spot Pal provides tactile cues for both active and passive use and complements myofunctional and speech therapy, especially surrounding a lingual frenectomy procedure.

Learning objectives for this lecture include:

Participants will understand the foundation of myofunctional therapy and how it relates to tethered oral tissues.
Participants will identify the symptoms of an orofacial myofunctional disorder and individuals who are candidates to receive myofunctional therapy.
Participants will understand the goals of myofunctional therapy and define the foundational skills of myofunctional therapy including tongue/jaw/lip dissociation and lingual strengthening exercises to support function for chewing, swallowing, and speaking and proper oral rest posture.
Participants will recognize possible outside referrals necessary for a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach in order to ensure patient success and overall long-term success.

Hands-on Learning

Spot Pal Use Pre and Post Tongue-Tie Release is a hands-on workshop which will allow participants to understand and use speech and myofunctional exercises pre tongue-tie release as well as immediately following tongue-tie release until neuromuscular re-education is achieved. Spot Pal during pre and post tongue-tie release therapy will allow for tongue strengthening, tongue-jaw-lip dissociation, and the habituation of proper oral rest posture.

Meet the team behind SpotPal

Janine Stiene

MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH

Janine, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, has over 20 years of experience in New York. She grew Long Island Speech to nine locations, making it the largest insurance-based practice in the U.S. She also created the S.P.O.T. therapy program and founded Spot Pal.

Toni-Ann Antoniato

SLP, Certified Lactation Counselor

Toni-Ann, a speech-language pathologist and certified lactation counselor, specializes in myofunctional disorders. With 12+ years' experience, she leads evaluations and training at Long Island Center for Speech. Toni-Ann also co-hosts "Talk the Talk" and serves as the CPO of Spot Pal.