When a child exhibits behavioral challenges, facial recession, or struggles with sleep, the root cause is frequently hiding in plain sight: their breathing habits. Unfortunately, these vital signs of compromised airway health are often overlooked by traditional medical models.
In this episode,Hallie sits down with Dr. Leslie Pasco, an expert in airway health, pediatric development, and the author of The Great Contraction. Dr. Pasco breaks down the profound impact that mouth breathing, poor jaw development, and tongue-ties have on a child’s long-term physical and neurological growth.
About the Guest: Dr. Leslie Pasco, DMD, OFM, CBBI
Dr. Leslie Pasco is the visionary founder and President of MyoWay Centers for Kids. With almost three decades of experience in dentistry, Dr. Pasco has dedicated her career to understanding how airway health and muscle function deeply influence growth, sleep, learning, and overall health in children.
Rather than simply addressing surface symptoms, she emphasizes early screening, thorough functional assessments, and close collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure her young patients receive truly comprehensive care. Her clear, driving mission is to help children grow right, breathe right, and live better.
Key Topics & Takeaways
- Mouth Breathing as a Danger Signal: Why mouth breathing should never be dismissed as a “phase,” and how it actively derails midface growth, jaw position, and dental alignment.
- The ADHD & Sleep Link: How sleep-disordered breathing frequently mimics or exacerbates symptoms of ADHD, leading to misdiagnoses that could be resolved with airway support.
- A Call for Holistic Care: Understanding the environmental stressors driving facial recession and contraction, and why true patient healing requires organic, multidisciplinary collaboration.
Soundbites
“Mouth breathing is a danger signal. It is your body’s emergency backup system, not a functional way for a growing child to live and develop.”
“Breathing therapy can change lives. When you restore nasal breathing and correct sleep architecture, you aren’t just changing a habit—you’re shifting a child’s entire behavioral and developmental trajectory.”
“Holistic care requires collaboration. No single provider can fix a contracted airway or a system-wide dysfunction completely on their own.”
Timestamps
- 00:00 – The Impact of Airway Health on Families
- 01:12 – Introducing Dr. Leslie Pasco
- 02:20 – Shifting from General Dentistry to Airway Care
- 07:23 – The Dangers of Chronic Mouth Breathing
- 12:04 – ADHD Misdiagnosis vs. Sleep Disordered Breathing
- 19:02 – The Connection Between Palatal Expansion and Myofunctional Therapy
- 28:44 – Functional Assessments for Tethered Oral Tissues (Tongue & Lip Ties)
- 30:53 – The Critical Role of Pre-Op and Post-Op Preparation for Releases
- 44:00 – What is the Buteyko Breathing Method? (Form, Function, Fuel)
- 52:39 – Breaking Down Medical Silos: A Holistic Approach
- 54:16 – The Great Contraction Book Overview
- 58:52 – Medical Disclaimer & Outro
Links & Resources
- Connect with Dr. Leslie Pasco: Learn more about her clinical work at https://buteykoclinic.com/pages/instructors/dr-leslie-pasco?srsltid=AfmBOoqEmYjR8y3SzFHFpgr-JpFWFgfyViaOItLvpazcPnDMqwDwd7w0.
- Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DrLesliePasco/
- Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-leslie-pasco-03a096a1/?isSelfProfile=false
RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE
- Dr. Richard Baxter on How to Know If a Tongue Tie Is Really the Problem
- Don’t Ignore the Snore: The Hidden Link Between Airway, Sleep, and ADHD
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