48. Could Your Airway Be the Root Cause of Your Child's ADHD, Your Exhaustion, and Your Sleep Apnea? with Dr. Hilary Fritsch, DMD

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Hilary Fritsch, DMD, an airway and biological dentist specializing in jaw development and non-surgical treatment of sleep and breathing disorders. We cover three audiences I care deeply about: parents of children showing signs of airway dysfunction, women in perimenopause who are exhausted and being missed by standard sleep testing, and adults who have been managing symptoms with a CPAP and want to know if there is a better path. Dr. Fritsch explains how mouth breathing, tongue ties, and underdeveloped palates are silently driving ADHD, anxiety, autoimmune disease, and chronic fatigue. She also shares the recent Harvard research on CPAP risks for low-risk patients that genuinely surprised me and why myofunctional therapy alone can cut apnea in half. I share my own journey and my daughter Elle's experience with palate expansion. This episode is packed with actionable information you will not want to miss. What You Will Learn: Why underdeveloped jaws and mouth breathing are a root cause of ADHD, anxiety, and chronic fatigue in children and adults The specific signs of early airway dysfunction in infants and children — and why acting early changes everything Why women are systematically underdiagnosed with sleep apnea and how perimenopause dramatically increases airway collapse risk How non-surgical palate expansion works for adults — no jaw surgery required Why myofunctional therapy is essential for lasting results and can reduce apnea severity by up to 50% What recent Harvard research reveals about CPAP risks for low-risk patients and what to do instead About Dr. Hilary Fritsch Dr. Hilary Fritsch, DMD, is an airway and biological dentist with nearly two decades of clinical experience specializing in jaw development, tongue-tied infants, and the non-surgical treatment of sleep and breathing disorders. She is the founder of Saddle Peak Dental and Western Sleep Solutions in Bozeman, Montana, and she trained extensively under Dr. Kevin Golz, a pioneer in adult palate expansion with over 6,000 cases completed.  Resources and People Mentioned: Vivos Palatal Expansion Candid Clear Aligners Smile Shapers American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Why Biological Dentistry & O& Oral Health Hold the Keys to a Healthier You | Dr. Nunnally & Dr. Freeman Connect with Dr. Myers: Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/ Dr. Myers’ Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com/founding-member Newsletter: https://www.amymyersmd.com/pages/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramymyers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers Connect with Dr. Hilary Fritsch:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hilaryfritchdmd/ Website: https://saddlepeakdunnell.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Modern Airway Crisis 00:53 Meet Dr Hilary Fitch 03:07 Host Personal Wake Up 05:54 Fitch Origin Story 08:10 Airway Training Maze 10:28 Newborn Jaw Foundations 11:55 Tongue Ties Explained 13:36 Breastfeeding Diet Habits 15:30 Kids Red Flags Checklist 17:57 Adult Symptoms Risks 22:55 Women Menopause UARS 29:16 Four Pillars Fixing Airway 30:15 Nose Palate Remodeling 30:56 Jaw Expansion TMJ Concerns 31:51 Adult Palate Expansion 32:46 Vivos vs Surgical MARPE 33:48 Tongue Space and Myo Therapy 34:22 Kids Expanders and Tooth Pillow 40:05 Compliance and Pain Fears 45:03 Mouth Tape Guidance 46:45 Adult Aligners and Brands 49:22 CPAP Risks and Biomarkers 56:22 Root Cause Wrap Up