What can you actually do at 12–18 months?

Things tend to go in seasons for me.

While the majority of the families I support have children 2YO+, this past week brought a wave of inquiries from parents of 12–18 month olds. And the question is almost always the same:

“I know there aren’t many options at this age… but is there anything we can do?”

Short answer: yes. Where we start may depend on what you're up against in terms of symptoms and struggles.

If this hasn’t been addressed yet, one of the most valuable starting points is hands-on care to address birth strain.

This might look like working with a provider trained in:

• Osteopathy
• Craniosacral therapy
• Chiropractic care

I recently came across a clinic's website page that explains the why behind this foundational step really well. It’s worth a read if you’re trying to understand how early tension patterns can impact sleep, feeding, and development.

Will this be the only thing your child needs?
I don’t know.

I’ve seen some families experience huge improvements in sleep from this alone. But the bigger question becomes:

• How long will those changes last?
• And should we be layering in other support along the way?

Beyond bodywork, here are a few other things I’m typically considering for this age group:

• Ruling out tethered oral tissues
• Shifting oral habits​
  (for example: replacing thumb sucking with something like a myomunchee)
• Bringing in the right support, depending on your child’s needs and what’s available locally:
  • Feeding therapy
  • Speech therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Otolaryngology

There’s no one-size-fits-all plan here. It’s about building the right team and sequence for your child.

If you’re feeling stuck trying to piece this together, I’m always happy to help you think through next steps and identify the right providers near you. Book a free Discovery Call any time.

A Thought on “Orthodontics” (and what we’re actually treating)

A bit of a tangent… but stay with me if you want to get nerdy on word origins and etymology.

I’ve always found it interesting that my dental school's orthodontic department used to be called: "Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics."

When I last checked, it had changed to: "Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics."

I’m still digging into this shift, but at a surface level, it feels like a step backward. (I've emailed them to see if I can get a response).

Because when we focus too heavily on “genetics,” we risk overlooking the environmental and functional inputs that shape growth in the first place.

If you’ve ever wondered why the specialty often centers around "straight teeth", this is a deeper conversation worth exploring.

New Resources on YouTube this Month

• The 3 Things That Shape Your Child’s Airway Health (No One Explains It Like This) ➡️ Watch Here​
• Can Expansion Avoid the Need for Tonsil and Adenoid Surgery? ➡️Watch Here​

I won't elaborate, just click the links if it sounds interesting to you. Are we liking having more YouTube videos lately? What topics do you want to see covered? Yes, really, reply here and let me know!

Help for the Whole Family?

Over on Instagram, I recently asked about family discount plans. A parent and a child, or maybe two siblings, are both able to get help from the same provider, taking advantage of some version of a discounted rate. (Watch the reel here).

This is something that’s not feasible in every type of practice, but in virtual settings, it can sometimes be an option. I asked if anyone either offers - or has taken advantage of such an offer - to tag themselves or another provider.

Here’s what happened:

• 1,400 people viewed the reel
• 0 additional providers were added

I tagged a few professionals who do offer family-based pricing models, but overall, it highlighted something important:

This isn’t about right or wrong. It’s about awareness and opportunity.

Because for some families, cost is a barrier. And sometimes, simply knowing what exists out there can be the thing that helps them move forward when it feels like too much.

...Kind of along the same lines…

Dr. Brittany Harness is launching a new course, and it does something I don't see very often. There are certain times where you pick a topic and want to deep dive into the topic...

Some resources focus only on kids. Some focus on adults.
Some focus on cavities. Some focus on airway.

This one takes a lifespan approach across various topics. Some really interesting topics, I might add.

If you’re looking for a place to:

• Understand oral health more deeply
• Connect the dots for your whole family
• Avoid hours of piecing things together online

This could be a really helpful starting point if you want to invest in one resource and find more answers for the whole family.

OW Update

Did you catch my live interview with Hallie Bulkin on GetExpanded last week? If not, don’t worry, there will be a recording. I’ll be sharing it in my next newsletter.

I’m especially excited about this because a few months ago, I introduced you to a few different directories, including GetExpanded. They’ve been doing incredible work hosting conversations around adult expansion, but there’s been a gap when it comes to pediatric topics.

That’s now changing.

Through a new partnership, I’ll be helping bring some of the same high-level experts into their community to talk about pediatric expansion and what it really means for growing children.

The first recording will be released this week, and the next live interview is already scheduled for May 7th. If you’d like to stay in the loop on upcoming conversations and guests, be sure to follow along with GetExpanded.

That's it for now. Wishing you and your family all the best as we enter the summer stretch. 😎

Tchau! That's Ciao, but the Portuguese version.

Dr. Julia