Supporting Children with Oral-Motor Dysfunction: A Manual Therapist’s Guide

Who is This Course for?

This course is ideal for manual therapists whose scope of practice includes intraoral work, such as:

• Chiropractors
• Osteopathic Manual Practitioners (DOMPs)
• Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs)
• Physiotherapists
• Craniosacral Therapists

Course Description

Supporting Children with Oral-Motor Dysfunction is a foundational course for manual therapists whose scope includes intraoral care and who wish to confidently integrate themselves into the circle of care for children (ages 3+) facing challenges with tongue mobility, strength, and coordination.

This course covers the clinical reasoning and hands-on approach to working with children with oral-motor dysfunction. You’ll learn about things to look for in your assessment and history taking, practical ways to improve oral-motor readiness (with hands-on care, exercises, and habits at home), how to collaborate with referring providers (such as dentists, SLPs, OTs, and myofunctional therapists), and how to integrate this seamlessly into your existing workflow. Beyond the techniques themselves, this course emphasizes the art of communication with families and providers, and respecting interdisciplinary boundaries while offering high-quality care within your scope.

Learners will leave with both clinical tools and increased confidence in contributing meaningfully to the child’s oral-motor function and airway health journey.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Identify common patterns of oral-motor dysfunction in children aged 3 and up, both in physical orofacial development and other areas of well-being (sleep quality, feeding, etc)
• Apply gentle, effective intraoral techniques to support tongue mobility, strength, and coordination, all while fostering a playful environment and respecting a child’s autonomy
• Collaborate confidently with other providers in the child’s circle of care

About Dr. Nardine Bekhit

Dr. Nardine Bekhit (@curlychiro) is a chiropractor with a special interest in TMJ disorders, breastfeeding support, and MSK support for airway health and development. Her clinical focus is helping young patients improve tongue function, postural tone, and nervous system regulation, while empowering families with tools that foster long-term functional gains.
In her boutique, family-focused practice in Ottawa, Ontario, Dr. Bekhit brings together whole-body manual therapy and extensive patient education to achieve care objectives. Her teaching style is rooted in both clinical and lived experience as a provider and mother.