Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Pitt.
Hi Alyssa; thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved to the Lowcountry in September 2021, had my third son, and wanted to continue the private practice that I started in Connecticut. I have always loved being a medically based Speech Language Pathologist. I have worked in all settings and with a variety of populations across the lifespan (hospitals, schools, medically fragile students, and long-term care facilities). I specialize in feeding and swallowing disorders and I am a Certified Myofunctional Therapist (CMT). I began to network with other like-minded professionals who are airway focused on sleep-disordered breathing, mouth breathing, tethered oral tissues (tongue, lip, cheek ties), pre and post-frenectomy care, troubleshooting breast and bottle feeding issues, chewing and swallowing concerns (e.g., picky eaters), vocal fatigue, sleep apnea, dental issues and more. My role is to play detective and provide comprehensive/holistic care that includes a team-based approach to maximize outcomes in an efficient timeline.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am grateful and blessed to have grown this practice in a short amount of time, thanks to the like minded professionals who I actively collaborate with as well as the demand for comprehensive care that focuses on getting to the root cause of the issues.
What sets FtxSLP apart from others is that we have pursued additional post-graduate training and developed a specialized skill set focused on functional outcomes and evidence-based practice to help children and adults struggling with eating, sleep, speech, attention and more, across the lifespan. Our goal is to teach our patients to do these activities with ease (and the correct way!) so they can function optimally. We take a “whole person” approach to determine the root cause of their problem and health issues, provide an individualized care plan to address concerns (including referrals to other service providers) and work together to improve their ability to speak clearly, eat a variety of foods with ease and get quality sleep to improve focus and attention. Our patients report our approach helps them realize what they are missing out on and how much better life can be when they are able to function at their best.
Myofunctional therapy is an essential treatment that addresses chewing, swallowing, breathing, and speech issues. It is like physical therapy for the mouth. We are connected from the tip of our tongue to the tip of our toes.
Signs and Symptoms
Articulation problems
Dental abnormalities
Drooling and poor oral control, specifically past the age of 2 years
Mouth breathing
Open mouth posture
Orthodontic issues
Picky eating habits
Problems with chewing and swallowing
Sleep issues (snoring, sleep apnea, fatigue, jaw misalignment, bed wetting, etc.)
Teeth grinding/TMD
Finger/Thumb/Tongue sucking
Tongue thrust (abnormal tongue rest posture)
Tethered Oral Tissues
With newborns up to age 4, I help with feeding concerns, muscle weakness, and discoordination. I can identify tethered oral tissues (lip, tongue, and cheek ties) and determine if it is causing a dysfunctional feeding, such as in latch at the breast or bottle, addressing weight gain concerns, fussiness, colic, reflux, sleep disturbance, low tongue posture causing mouth breathing, chewing and swallowing issues from introduction to solids to selective eating and avoidance of tougher textures that may cause fatigue as an adult. My goal is to take the guesswork out and reduce/eliminate the stress on the family by providing direct answers and treatment solutions to get to optimal health and functioning as quickly as possible. New mothers should not stress about feeding their children, relying on social media posts with misinformation, or not being validated with their concerns by other professionals when their instinct is right. That continues through toddler and childhood years to adults. You should not wake up feeling exhausted. Sleep-disordered breathing starts in infancy and is linked to the cause of ADHD, behavioral issues, memory, and learning difficulties. Without proper tongue positioning and nasal breathing, our bodies are in fight or flight, contributing to other health issues such as anxiety. I can go on and on and am unsure how to summarize this!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some changes you expect to see over the next five to ten years?
There is a big wave to become Airway Aware across the health professions. With each generation, the shape of our face is becoming more narrow (compared to the cavemen), which increases the risk of recurrent respiratory difficulties (often misdiagnosed as asthma), cavities at a younger age, the need for braces or orthodontics as young as 4 to help expand the palate increase space for airflow, snoring, attention and behavioral issues, selective eating, anxiety, to name a few. Our jaws are not challenged by food as much due to the softer, more processed American diet. Tethered oral tissues are identified more due to the increased choice to breastfeed and complaints of signs and symptoms on social media; genetics plays a major role, and sleep apnea is rising and under-reported across the lifespan. It takes a team-based approach to address all areas and the right professionals specializing in this area.
Contact Info:
- Website: ftxslp.com
- Instagram: Ftxslp
- Facebook: Functional Therapy Solutions LLC
