As a parent, you know when something is amiss with your baby or child. Problems with feeding, crying during breastfeeding, or subsequent speech problems can leave you wondering what is happening. Tongue-tie is one of the most common and under-recognized conditions in childhood.
Knowing the symptoms of a tongue-tie at an early age can make a significant difference in a child’s comfort, feeding success, and even speech acquisition. In this guide, we are going to take Alabama parents through the red flags of the early stage, what to look out for, and when to consider tongue-tie treatment.
What is a Tongue-Tie?
Tongue-tie (also known as ankyloglossia) occurs when a thin piece of tissue under the tongue (the frenulum) is too tight, too short, or too thick. This limits tongue movement and can cause feeding or speech, sleep, or breathing difficulties.
Although there are mild cases (symptom-wise) of the condition in babies that one may not have to worry about, others have many observable symptoms of tongue-tie that should be addressed.
Trouble Breastfeeding
Difficulty in breastfeeding is one of the most prevalent and well-known symptoms of tongue-tie in infants.
If your baby:
- Struggles to latch
- Slips off the breast often
- Nurses with clicking sounds.
- Feeds for a long time yet still appears to be hungry.
Issues a Tongue-Tied Baby May Have:
- Poor milk transfer
- Slow weight gain
- Frustration during feeding
- Frequent feeding sessions
To a lot of Alabama moms, the first indication is an unresolved breastfeeding or bottle-feeding problem.
Painful Nursing for Mom
The baby is not the only one who sometimes struggles.
Mothers may experience:
- Sore or cracked nipples
- Sharp pain during feeding
- Nipples are misshapen or flattened following breastfeeding.
- Trouble bonding with the baby, leading to post-partum depression or anxiety.
If lactation support has failed to resolve the problem, one should consider if a tongue-tie could be a factor.
Baby does not attach him/herself to the bottle
Symptoms of a tongue-tie can be exhibited even in the case of a bottle-fed baby.
You may notice:
- Baby is not taking the bottle well.
- Having to try multiple different bottle types.
- Leaking milk on the sides of the mouth.
- During feeding, clicking sounds are present.
- Too much gas or spit up as a result of air swallowing.
The inability to make a proper seal and restricted tongue movement during feeding make feeding inefficient and uncomfortable.
Poor Weight Gain
If your pediatrician mentions slow growth or working too hard just to maintain weight, they should check the baby’s feeding efficiency. If the tongue cannot move fully, it’s like your child trying to walk or run with their shoelaces tied together.
Since babies with a tongue-tie might not have good milk transfer, they tend to:
- Feed frequently
- Seem tired during feeds.
- Go to sleep before finishing with a feeding.
- Remain hungry after a feed
If the tongue cannot move fully, they still seem hungry because they are burning so many calories just to eat.
Limited Tongue Movement
There are some indications of tongue-tied infants.
Look for:
- A tongue that cannot elevate to the palate.
- Heart-shaped tongue tip (although it doesn’t have to be!)
- Tongue that seems to be rooted at the floor of the mouth.
- Not ever sticking their tongue out (although this is not a very good test)
In case of doubt, a brief examination can be conducted by someone who routinely treats and examines tongue-ties, such as a feeding therapist or lactation consultant, pediatrician, or pediatric dentist.
Later On Speech Delays or Articulation Problems
A common question from mothers in Alabama is: Could tongue-ties cause speech problems?
The answer: sometimes.
Not every tongue-tie results in speech issues. Nevertheless, limited movement of the tongue can impact the capacity of pronunciation of some sounds, such as: T, D, L, R, Th, S, K, G and more.
If your toddler has speech problems due to tongue-tie or has speech clarity issues, it might be worth considering an assessment of the frenulum.
Speech therapy can be helpful; however, if you are hitting a wall or not progressing in therapy, a quick procedure (10 seconds) can enhance the tongue mobility and make therapy easier to complete and graduate.
At What Point Should Alabama Parents Seek Help?
You should see a knowledgeable tongue-tie provider if:
- Feeding is still painful or unproductive.
- The baby is not gaining weight.
- Bottle-feeding is difficult.
- Speech or articulation delays appear
- Restless sleeping, mouth breathing, or snoring
- There is limited tongue mobility
- Early diagnosis helps to avoid long-term complications.
If you see these signs but your provider is not concerned, please reach out and message us or give us a call and we would be happy to evaluate your child for a possible tongue-tie.
Tongue-Tie Treatment Options
The good news? The proper treatment is quick and can be done in an outpatient (clinic) setting.
1. Monitoring (For Mild Cases)
Often, mild tongue-ties do not disrupt eating or talking. If the tongue is minimally restricted (can lift well), and there are not many symptoms, then wait on treatment until it is causing a problem. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
2. Frenectomy (Quick Procedure)
A frenectomy is a minor surgery involving the release of the tight frenulum. It typically:
- Takes only a few seconds with the proper tools (CO2 laser)
- Has quick recovery time (sore for a couple of days).
- Allows better breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, or solid feeding.
- Parents usually see the improvement quickly (within a couple of days to a few weeks)
3. Frenuloplasty
A slightly more complex operation, tongue-tie, a frenuloplasty (involving sutures) may be required in the more complicated cases. This is more often for older children or adults. We can do this in the office, but we only treat up to age 18 at our office. If a child is asleep already, since we are fixing their teeth under anesthesia, we may do this on younger children at the hospital. Often this is not required though.
Can a Tongue-Tie Fix Itself?
No, tongue-tie does not stretch out or break on its own. The symptoms can wax and wane over time, and worsen or improve with age. Often, breastfeeding problems or baby issues like reflux, colic, or gas will improve around 6 months of age, but then issues with babbling, solid feeding, and even crawling or walking can worsen.
If your baby exhibits many of the symptoms of tongue-tie, it’s better to get an evaluation instead of waiting for worsening or different issues later (speech, eating, sleeping).
Final Thoughts
By knowing the symptoms of tongue-tie early, you can maintain and save a breastfeeding relationship and increase your chances of success, and avoid the potential for future problems. Alabama parents should not overlook infant feeding problems or abnormal tongue mobility and hope it goes away in the future.
If feeding is not going how you thought it would, do not be afraid to consult a professional. Give us a call at (205) 419-4333 or send us a message. Early treatment is easy, efficient, and can bring a lasting solution to you and your baby.
FAQ’s
Q1. Are tongue-ties the cause of speech problems in all children?
No. Not all children with tongue-tie acquire speech problems. Nevertheless, the limitation of tongue movement may cause articulation problems or speech / language delay. If your child has speech problems and has limited tongue mobility, it is advisable to have a professional assessment. We would be happy to help.
Q2. Is the treatment of tongue-tie safe among newborns?
Yes. A frenectomy is a highly safe and fast operation when performed by a knowledgable provider. A majority of babies feed instantly and get see symptomatic relief quickly (within a day or two).
Q3. How do I understand whether my baby has feeding problems or if it is a symptom of tongue-tie?
There are manyl indicators, including poor latching, clicking, reflux, gas, colic, slow weight gain, nipple pain, or the baby not taking the bottle effectively (taking forever to eat, and not satisfied). If these problems persist despite lactation support, your baby should have an evaluation for tongue- or lip-tie.
