Hallie BulkinAsk HallieAI:Your On-Demand Mentor in Pediatric Feeding & Myo

Why "Open Mouth Breathing" is a Red Flag in Feeding 🚩

27 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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0:47

In this segment of her YouTube video, Hallie Bulkin explains why open‑mouth breathing and open‑mouth eating are critical, observable signs that signal feeding difficulties in children. She describes how she routinely asks parents, “Is your child an open‑mouth eater?” and notes that many parents need a moment to recognize the behavior even when it is obvious to a clinician. By highlighting these subtle cues, she emphasizes that such mouth‑opening patterns are not merely cosmetic but are directly linked to underlying feeding challenges, and recognizing them is essential for accurate assessment and effective intervention.

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And you're like, "I'm sorry, you'll probably never be able to walk into an airport or a mall or anywhere and just look at people normally." Because now every time I see somebody with an open mouth, and that's like one of the first questions I ask anybody, "You're an open mouth breather?" I'm just, I'm like, when they say yes, my wheels start to turn and I'm like, "Okay, well this is kind of a big deal." And they're like, "Really?" I'm like, "Oh my gosh." You know, a lot of times parents, like when I ask them like, Is your child an open mouth eater? They really have to stop and think about it. And I ask that because I really want to know about their perspective, but sometimes I see the child right here. I'm like, it's very obvious, but like, do you realize that? And so it's just learning about all these little things that you wouldn't think would be connected to feeding, but it totally is.