Can Orofacial Myology Help with Picky Eating?
Yes. In some children, picky eating is linked to difficulties with oral muscle function, chewing, swallowing, tongue movement, breathing patterns or oral sensory awareness. When eating feels difficult, tiring or uncomfortable, children often avoid certain foods, textures or food groups. An Orofacial Myology assessment can identify whether oral function is contributing to feeding challenges and provide strategies to improve eating skills. At PhysioMotion Cairns, we assess and treat children whose picky eating may be influenced by Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), mouth breathing, tongue-tie restrictions, poor tongue posture, inefficient chewing or swallowing difficulties.
What Is Picky Eating?
Picky eating refers to a pattern of selective food intake where a child consistently avoids certain foods, textures, colours, temperatures or food groups. While selective eating can be a normal part of development, persistent picky eating may indicate an underlying challenge affecting how a child experiences food. Some children avoid foods because they dislike the taste, while others avoid foods because chewing, moving food around the mouth or swallowing feels difficult. Understanding the reason behind the behaviour is an important first step.
What Causes Picky Eating?
Picky eating can develop for many different reasons. While some children are naturally cautious around new foods, others may be avoiding foods because eating feels difficult, tiring or uncomfortable. Underlying factors may include oral motor difficulties, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, mouth breathing, tongue-tie restrictions, swallowing challenges, sensory sensitivities, airway concerns or previous negative feeding experiences. In many cases, several of these factors are present at the same time, which is why a comprehensive assessment is important.
How Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders Linked to Picky Eating?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders occur when the muscles of the face, tongue, lips and jaw are not functioning as efficiently as they should. These muscles play a vital role in chewing, swallowing, breathing and maintaining proper oral posture. When oral muscle function is compromised, children may find certain foods more difficult to chew or manage in their mouth. As a result, they often gravitate towards softer, more predictable foods and avoid textures that require greater chewing effort or coordination.
Signs That Oral Function May Be Contributing to Picky Eating
Your child may benefit from an Orofacial Myology assessment if they:
- Consistently avoid certain food textures
- Prefer soft or processed foods
- Take a long time to finish meals
- Gag when trying new foods
- Pocket food in their cheeks
- Need frequent drinks to help swallow food
- Have a history of tongue tie or feeding difficulties
- Breathe through their mouth during the day or night
These signs may indicate that oral function is contributing to feeding challenges rather than the issue being purely behavioural.
How Does Mouth Breathing Affect Eating?
Healthy eating relies on the coordinated function of the tongue, lips, jaw and airway. When a child habitually breathes through their mouth, the tongue often rests in a lower position and the lips remain apart. Over time, this can influence oral muscle development, chewing efficiency and swallowing patterns. Some children who mouth breathe become fatigued more easily during meals and may avoid foods that require prolonged chewing.
Can a Tongue Tie Cause Picky Eating?
In some children, restricted tongue mobility can make it more difficult to move food around the mouth, chew efficiently and swallow comfortably. Not every child with a tongue tie experiences feeding difficulties. However, when tongue function is limited, children may naturally avoid foods that require greater oral coordination and effort.
How Does Orofacial Myology Help Picky Eaters?
Orofacial Myology aims to improve the function and coordination of the muscles involved in eating. Treatment is individualised and may focus on improving tongue mobility, developing more efficient chewing patterns, retraining swallowing mechanics and encouraging healthy nasal breathing. Therapy may also include activities that increase oral awareness and confidence with different food textures, alongside practical education and strategies for parents to implement at home.
What Happens During a Picky Eating Assessment?
At PhysioMotion Cairns, every assessment begins with a detailed discussion about your child’s feeding history, food preferences, mealtime challenges and overall development.
We then assess factors that may be contributing to picky eating, including:
- Tongue mobility and function
- Lip strength and coordination
- Jaw movement and chewing ability
- Breathing patterns
- Oral resting posture
- Swallowing function
This comprehensive approach helps identify underlying contributors and guides the development of a personalised treatment plan.
Why Choose PhysioMotion Cairns for Orofacial Myology?
At PhysioMotion Cairns, we understand that picky eating is often more complex than simply refusing certain foods. Our assessments look beyond the behaviour itself to identify whether oral function, breathing patterns, tongue posture, airway concerns or swallowing mechanics may be playing a role. By taking a holistic and evidence-informed approach, we help families better understand the factors contributing to feeding challenges and provide practical strategies that support long-term improvements in eating skills and confidence.
To find out more about Orofacial Myology [Click Here]
Book a Picky Eating Assessment in Cairns
If your child struggles with picky eating, food aversions, chewing difficulties, prolonged mealtimes, mouth breathing or tongue function concerns, an Orofacial Myology assessment may help identify the underlying cause. Contact PhysioMotion Cairns to book an assessment and learn how Orofacial Myology can support healthier eating habits, improved oral function and more positive mealtime experiences.
Meet Your Orofacial Myology Clinican
Your care is led by Amelia Sant, Physiotherapist, who has advanced training in Orofacial Myology and a strong clinical focus on breathing, feeding, and oral function across all ages.
Amelia works with children (3 years old+) and adults, providing comprehensive assessment and tailored treatment for a wide range of orofacial myofunctional disorders.
Amelia’s Areas of Expertise Include:
- Tongue tie, lip tie and buccal tie assessment and therapy
- Pre- and post-tongue tie release rehabilitation
- Paediatric feeding difficulties and picky eating
- Mouth breathing and nasal breathing retraining
- Sleep-disordered breathing and snoring support
- Tongue thrust and oral posture correction
- Jaw (TMJ) dysfunction and teeth grinding
Amelia takes a holistic, evidence-based approach, addressing not just symptoms, but the underlying causes of dysfunction—helping to improve breathing, sleep quality, feeding, speech, and long-term oral health.
She works closely with GPs, dentists, orthodontists, lactation consultants, and other allied health professionals to ensure coordinated, patient-centred care.
Learn more about Amelia and her experience here: [Amelia’s Bio]
To book an appointment with Amelia: [click here]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is picky eating always behavioural?
No. While behaviour can influence food choices, oral motor difficulties, breathing patterns, tongue restrictions and swallowing challenges may also contribute to selective eating behaviours.
At what age should picky eating be assessed?
If feeding difficulties are persistent, worsening, causing family stress, affecting nutrition or significantly limiting food variety, an assessment may be beneficial.
Can Orofacial Myology help adults who are picky eaters?
Yes. Adults can also experience challenges related to oral function, chewing efficiency, tongue posture and swallowing patterns that may affect their food preferences.
Will therapy force my child to eat foods they dislike?
No. Treatment focuses on improving the physical skills needed for eating and creating positive feeding experiences rather than forcing food consumption.
To find out more about Orofacial Myology, give us a call on (07) 4045 6800 to speak with one of our fiendly team.
You can find us at Shop 5 9-11 Stokes Street, Edmonton Cairns QLD 4869.