Episode 54 -The Airway Connection: How Breathing Impacts Sleep, Growth, Behavior & Lifelong Health with Alicia Dyshon
Could your child's sleep struggles, behavioral challenges, picky eating, crowded teeth, or difficulty focusing all be connected to one overlooked factor airway health?In this eye opening episode, Dr. Liz Turner, airway focused dentist and co-founder of Untethered Airway Health Center, explains how breathing and sleep impact nearly every aspect of a child's growth and development. Drawing from both her professional experience and personal journey as a mother, Dr. Turner shares how her son's early feeding challenges led her to uncover the powerful connection between oral function, jaw development, airway health, and long term wellness.The conversation explores why issues such as tongue ties, mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, speech concerns, feeding difficulties, and crowded teeth may be symptoms of a larger airway related problem. Dr. Turner also explains how jaw growth develops during infancy and childhood, why the first few years of life are so critical, and how early intervention can help support healthier breathing, better sleep, improved behavior, and stronger overall development.You'll learn the differences between nasal breathing and mouth breathing, how poor sleep can affect learning and emotional regulation, why snoring in children should never be ignored, and what signs parents can watch for as their children grow. Dr. Turner also discusses orthodontic development, palatal expansion, myofunctional therapy, oral habits, tooth decay, breastfeeding considerations, and the importance of building a collaborative healthcare team.Whether you're a parent searching for answers, a healthcare professional looking to better understand airway health, or someone interested in the connection between breathing and whole-body wellness, this episode offers practical insights and actionable takeaways.In This Episode:The hidden connection between airway health and childhood developmentTongue ties, feeding challenges, and oral functionHow mouth breathing affects sleep, behavior, and facial growthWhy crowded teeth can be an early warning signThe relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and learning difficultiesNasal breathing vs. mouth breathing: what's the difference?Signs parents should watch for from infancy through adolescenceThe role of myofunctional therapy and airway focused careHow better breathing supports better health throughout lifeBecause when we breathe better, we sleep better. And when we sleep better, we thrive.About Our GuestAlicia Dyshon is the founder of MoonBae Sleep and a pediatric sleep consultant dedicated to helping families navigate infant and child sleep with confidence. Through personalized coaching and evidence based strategies, she helps parents create healthy sleep habits that support their child's growth, development, and overall well being.Connect with Guest.https://www.instagram.com/moonbae.sleep/https://www.moonbaesleep.com/Learn more & get support: https://untetheredairwayhealthcenter.comFollow us for more:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untetheredairway/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/untetheredahcTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@untetheredairwayExplore Our CoursesFoundations of Airway Dentistry: https://theuntetheredway.com/foundations-courseAdvanced Frenectomy & Surgical Training: https://theuntetheredway.com/frenectomy-courseAllied Health & Myofunctional Therapy Training: https://theuntetheredway.com/allied-providersSubscribe, like, and share if this resonated with you, because when you breathe better, you live better.