Kelsey Gaitan talks Myofunctional Therapy for Kids & Adults

The Las Vegas Mom & Therapist Helping Families Connect the Dots with Breathing, Sleep, & Health

Some people discover their life's work through school. For Kelsey Gaitan, BSDH, OMT, it came through years of searching for answers about her own health.

Today, Kelsey is the founder of NV Orofacial Myology, where she works with children, teens, and adults to improve breathing, oral function, sleep, feeding, posture, and overall wellness through myofunctional therapy. But before she was helping families throughout Las Vegas and beyond, she was a Registered Dental Hygienist and new mom navigating a long list of symptoms that no one seemed able to connect.

"My daughter was about 10 months old when my journey into myofunctional therapy began," Kelsey says. "I was a Dental Hygienist with nearly eight years of experience, yet I had never heard of it. At the time, I was struggling with severe clenching, facial pain, tingling, stinging sensations, and symptoms that were taking a toll on my mental health as a new wife and mother."

Her story didn't begin there.

Growing up, Kelsey experienced exercise-induced asthma from mouth breathing, years of speech therapy, chronic mouth breathing, a tonsillectomy, surgery for a deviated septum, multiple rounds of braces, anxiety, and later, migraines, neck pain, teeth grinding, and facial pain. As an athlete, she learned to adapt.

"Looking back, there were many signs that something wasn't functioning optimally," she says. "Each issue was treated separately, but no one was looking at the bigger picture."

That bigger picture finally came into focus after extensive research led her to myofunctional therapy. Along the way, she learned she had a posterior tongue tie along with lip and buccal ties that contributed to many of the symptoms she had been living with for years.

"At first, I was simply looking for relief," she says. "As I started learning about the connection between breathing, oral function, posture, and airway health, everything began to make sense."

The more she learned, the more she realized she wasn't alone.

"The turning point was realizing that if I had struggled for years without knowing these connections, so many other families probably were too. I wanted to help people connect the dots sooner, advocate for healthy development, and give families the knowledge I wish I had earlier."

Mother's Perspective

Becoming a mom changed more than Kelsey's priorities. It reshaped the way she viewed childhood development.

"Becoming a mother changed everything," she says. "The information I was learning wasn't just for me anymore. It could impact my children's growth, health, and future."

That realization sparked a passion for early intervention.

"Motherhood made me more aware of how early signs can show up and how often they are overlooked. It gave me a deeper passion for early intervention, prevention, and helping parents feel empowered to advocate for their children."

What Families Are Really Looking For

While many parents first reach out with concerns about crowded teeth or tongue ties, those are often just the beginning of the conversation.

"Parents often reach out about crowded teeth, mouth breathing, picky eating, thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, sleep concerns, speech concerns, and facial development," Kelsey says.

Adults come in with a different list.

"Adults usually contact me because of clenching, grinding, TMJ discomfort, headaches, migraines, poor sleep, chronic congestion, fatigue, or difficulty breathing through their nose. Myofunctional Therapy is understanding Why you are clenching and grinding your teeth; Why are you seeking out botox for relief? Most people come to me because they feel like they are missing a piece of the puzzle and want to understand the root cause."

One misconception she hears often is that tongue ties only affect breastfeeding babies.

"Tongue ties can impact feeding, breathing, sleep, oral development, speech, chewing, posture, and overall function," she explains. "Another misconception is that tongue ties are always obvious. There are 16 muscles of the tongue and I look at what these muscles are doing and where there can be growth."

She also encourages parents not to dismiss signs like mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, teeth grinding, chronic congestion, dark circles, picky eating, crowded teeth, or speech concerns.

"As early as possible" is her answer when asked when these issues should ideally be identified.

"That said, it is never too late. I work with infants, children, teens, and adults. Most of us were never taught about airway health or oral function, so if something feels off, keep asking questions and don't give up."

Looking Beyond One Symptom

One thing that stands out about NV Orofacial Myology is Kelsey's whole-body approach.

"I look at breathing, oral function, posture, movement, sleep, feeding, facial development, and overall wellness instead of focusing on one symptom alone."

She also collaborates with a wide range of providers, including dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, lactation consultants, physical therapists, pelvic floor therapists, bodyworkers, myofascial release providers and speech therapists.

For families working with her one-on-one, support extends beyond appointments. Clients receive personalized treatment plans, guided exercises through a dedicated therapy app, weekly exercise updates, and ongoing communication between sessions. The goal is to help families build consistent habits with just a few minutes of practice each day.

"The goal is not perfection," Kelsey says. "It is progress."

That consistency can lead to meaningful change.

"I have worked with children who had been in speech therapy for years and hit a wall until we began addressing oral function through myofunctional therapy. I have also had clients stop thumb sucking after just a few sessions once we focused on the 'why' behind the habit."

She has also seen adults experience fewer migraines, less facial tension, better sleep, and improved overall function.

"Every journey is different, but it is so rewarding to see people finally feel like the pieces are coming together."

Making Education More Accessible

Recognizing that one-on-one therapy isn't always possible, Kelsey has also expanded her educational offerings.

Her self-paced Breath Boss course was created for parents and coaches who want to better understand the principles of myofunctional therapy from home, covering topics like breathing, posture, tongue function, eating, digestion, and practical exercises families can incorporate into daily life.

She also recently created Mini Myo, an introductory educational program inspired by families who needed an affordable starting point.

"Mini Myo was inspired by families who wanted help but were not ready for one-on-one therapy, did not have access to a provider, had multiple children who could benefit, or could not afford therapy for everyone in the family."

Rather than replacing therapy, she sees the program as another way to empower parents.

"My goal is to educate and empower, not pressure everyone into therapy."

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One Thing Every Parent Should Know

When asked what she wishes every parent understood, Kelsey's answer is simple.

"Breathing affects much more than oxygen. It can influence sleep, facial development, oral function, behavior, focus, energy, and overall health."

She also reminds parents not to overlook habits like chronic mouth breathing, prolonged thumb sucking or pacifier use, open-mouth posture, snoring, restless sleep, or persistent feeding concerns.

"It is not about blaming the child or parent," she says. "These habits are information. They can tell us that a child may be compensating or struggling with something deeper. These patterns don’t magically go away, they last into adulthood."

For parents who feel like they've been searching for answers without finding them, her advice comes from personal experience.

"Trust yourself. If something feels off, keep asking questions. I know how exhausting it can be to go from appointment to appointment and still feel like something is missing."

"You do not need to have all the answers today. Sometimes the first step is finding the right question to ask. There is hope, and your persistence may be what helps change the trajectory of your child's health and development."

Beyond the Office

Long before she became a business owner, Kelsey was on the soccer field.

She started playing at age four, competed with Heat FC, played varsity soccer throughout high school, and continued at Salt Lake Community College before focusing on her education.

"Soccer taught me discipline, resilience, teamwork, and consistency," she says. "Looking back, I can also see how my exercise-induced asthma and breathing challenges shaped my interest in helping athletes and families understand the connection between breathing, function, and performance."

When she's not working with clients, you'll likely find her cheering on a football game with her family, exploring a new local park, attending community events, supporting small businesses, or catching an Aviators or Raiders game. With her daughter now developing a love for basketball, an Aces game has also made the family's list.

"It depends on whether it is football season or not," she laughs. "A typical weekend includes meal prep, church, and a reset when we can so we can get ready for the week ahead. We also love exploring new parks, supporting small businesses, finding local events, and spending time with our neighbors and friends. I enjoy anything that brings our family together, keeps us connected, and helps us make meaningful memories."

For Kelsey, that's what this work is ultimately about... helping families build healthier futures, one small habit at a time.