Treatment Frequency
Research in speech-language pathology and motor learning consistently shows that shorter, more frequent therapy sessions lead to faster and more durable progress than longer, less frequent sessions. This approach increases the total number of correct practice opportunities, supports better skill retention, and aligns with how the brain learns and automates new motor patterns, particularly for speech and oral-motor skills. Frequent sessions also allow for regular feedback and timely adjustments, which supports efficient learning and generalization to daily activities.
Myofunctional Therapy
Orofacial myofunctional therapy targets new oral-motor patterns (e.g., tongue posture, lip seal, nasal breathing) that must be practiced repeatedly to become automatic. Research from motor learning and orofacial therapy literature supports distributed practice (short, frequent sessions) as more effective than longer, less frequent sessions for establishing and maintaining new motor behaviours and supporting carryover into daily function.
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders: Evidence Map
https://www.asha.org/evidence-map/orofacial-myofunctional-disorders/Van Dyck, C., et al. (2016). Orofacial myofunctional therapy in children and adults.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27017469/Schmidt, R. A., & Lee, T. D. (2019). Motor Learning and Performance (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.
https://us.humankinetics.com/products/motor-learning-and-performance-6th-edition
Speech Therapy
Articulation therapy is most effective when children receive frequent opportunities to produce accurate speech sounds across sessions. Studies consistently show that higher treatment frequency and distributed practice result in faster progress and better generalization than longer sessions scheduled less often.
References
Williams, A. L. (2012). Intensity in phonological intervention: Is there a prescribed dosage?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22942388/Baker, E., & McLeod, S. (2011). Evidence-based practice for children with speech sound disorders.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21415233/ASHA. Speech Sound Disorders in Children: Treatment Intensity
https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/articulation-and-phonology/