AIRWAY FIRST PODCAST: EPISODE 83 WITH OUR GUEST, CLAIRE DUQUE
Jan 7
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The Story of a Myofunctional Therapist and Her Son's Airway Journey
Episode 83 of the Airway First podcast is now out! You can catch this and all other episodes on Apple, SoundCloud, Podbean, RSS, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. And don't forget to check us out on YouTube!
Our guest today is Claire Duque, a Myofunctional Therapist & Occupational Therapist. Before being trained in myofunctional therapy, Claire served the adult population as an occupational therapist. Having a child with airway issues ignited her passion for this space and her desire to help kids and their futures.
Claire believes that sleep and breathing are the cornerstones of health for a child. Claire is particularly passionate about early intervention and the role orofacial dysfunction plays in a child's behavior, sensory system, health, immunity, allergies, and cognitive development. Treatment includes comprehensive assessment and evaluation, muscle training and exercises, and retraining in breathing, nasal breathing, tongue posture, and tongue thrust.
You can read Claire’s full story in her own words in a guest blog she did with CAFF here: Link to Claire's Blog Post.
Show Notes:
ADHD MISDIAGNOSIS: PICKING UP THE PUZZLE PIECES
Signs were pointing towards ADHD or perhaps that her son was struggling with a sensory processing disorder. Symptoms like late-stage bedwetting, irritability, and poor-quality sleep kept the seven specialists they had seen stumped.
One big breakthrough on their journey happened when Claire stumbled on a video by Doctor Marielly Mitchell describing a child with sleep-disordered breathing.
Claire knew this was her child and began to seek out treatment, namely a palate expander! This was a transformative intervention for her son. Along the way, they also did adenoid and turbinate reduction and immunotherapy for his allergies.
ADHD MISDIAGNOSIS: SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING
Many children with ADHD face challenges like difficulty falling asleep, resisting bedtime routines, and frequent awakenings during the night. These disrupted sleep patterns can significantly worsen daytime symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
Addressing sleep issues is crucial for better management of ADHD symptoms! Let's work together to find solutions for better sleep. Check out our Sleep Study Series on the Airway First podcast for more information and tips for parents.
SPOTLIGHT BOOK RESOURCE FOR PARENTS
Mom Save My Brain, by Candy Sparks
Does your child struggle to focus in school? Experience constant fatigue despite plenty of sleep? Deal with recurring health issues that doctors can't quite explain?
Every breath your child takes shapes their future. Yet for 400 million children worldwide, each breath is a struggle that silently deteriorates their health, dims their potential, and alters the course of their lives.
When Candy Sparks' daughter Savvy said, "Mom, I feel like my body is rotting, and I can no longer remember much of my childhood," it launched a desperate search for answers that would reveal a hidden epidemic of airway disorders devastating children's lives. Despite seeing countless specialists and living in a country with advanced healthcare, it took years before Savvy received proper diagnosis and treatment - years that left permanent impacts on her development, health, and quality of life.
In this powerful wake-up call, Sparks exposes the critical gap in children's healthcare that leaves millions suffering from preventable breathing and sleep disorders. Through intimate storytelling and vital medical insights, she reveals how subtle signs - from mouth breathing to behavioral issues - can indicate serious airway problems that, if caught early, could be corrected. As founder of the Children's Airway First Foundation, Sparks is leading a movement to transform pediatric care and ensure no other child endures what Savvy did.
This is an urgent call to action that could save your child from a lifetime of preventable health issues. The solution starts with awareness. The time to act is now.
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