Learning strategies to support speech development in children with autism from expert clinicians is a valuable opportunity for parents in our community. On Saturday, June 21, the workshop on the Orofacial Sensory System in Autism took place, led by Licensed Speech Therapist Luis Naranjo.
The orofacial system refers to the specific structures of the face and mouth (muscles, tongue, lips) and how they function—often influenced by differences in sensory processing and muscle tone that are common in autism.
These differences can show up as pronounced food selectivity by texture, drooling or an open-mouth posture, bruxism (teeth grinding), and problems with speech articulation. In short, these characteristics directly affect essential functions such as feeding, swallowing, breathing, and communication. Early therapeutic intervention is therefore crucial to help children develop language and communication skills more easily.
