Multiple ultrasounds due to tongue??

groovylocks

Ok so I've talked to my doctors. I've talked to my techs and to my nurses and i've done multiple google searches. I'm starting to get frustrated. 

My bump was measuring small a few weeks ago (still is) so they sent me in for a growth ultrasound to make sure kid is growing. She is growing and is a healthy size for her gestational age. Her limbs are in proportion. She has a nasal bone. The echogenic intracardiac focus on her heart appears to be gone. 

But they noticed something interesting about her. Her tongue stuck out during almost the whole ultrasound. Seriously, some of the photos i got, i swear i'm carrying Gene Simmons. 

So another ultrasound was requested to see if she behaved in this weird way again. 

I dutifully went in for the second ultrasound. She popped her tongue out at the beginning for a second or two, then put it back and behaved "normally" for the rest of the screen.

So my doctor calls me back today and is all "Yeah, so it's intermittent. Everything else appears good. Her growth is normal." Then goes on to tell me they want to do ANOTHER scan. 

Wtf? Are they finding abnormalities they're not telling me about? Because they did two scans, one looking for specific physical signs of something wrong. And now they need another one? How many will they need considering it's the only soft sign of anything unusual and there are no hard signs? I'm getting SO frustrated because it seems they keep saying they have to look for something but shouldn't two ultrasounds cover that?

Edited because "limbs" is not spelled "limps".

Bigboobsmcgee

I would be a little frustrated too because it seems like something is going on and you aren't being told about it. For me personally I would keep calling my doctor and asking for answers. Ask for them to explain the reasoning for another scan. I'm sure you're willing to do it but they need to give you a little bit more info (I think).

groovylocks

I did some google searches and it's possible she has some form of macroglossia. Which, actually, this is where it gets really weird because i also have a tongue too large for my mouth. When i was a kid, nobody thought anything of it. I mean, it was never even mentioned. I didn't even know my tongue was too big until this all started and during google searches, I read that the tongue is supposed to sit behind and within the bottom teeth. Mine does nothing of the sort. It rests on my bottom teeth. I bite it a lot. I figured it was just big. You can't even tell unless i stick it out and then it just looks comically chubby.

But according to diagnostic criteria for macroglossia, I have a very mild case of it. And i told the doctor this and showed her and she was like "yeah it's a bit big"

So... yeah this is why i'm worried. This just further supports my theory that my kid is normal with a slightly weird tongue. Hubby thinks it's just a weird money grab and they're just trying to ramp up my bill. I honestly hope that's what it is.

groovylocks

Bigboobsmcgee said:

I would be a little frustrated too because it seems like something is going on and you aren't being told about it. For me personally I would keep calling my doctor and asking for answers. Ask for them to explain the reasoning for another scan. I'm sure you're willing to do it but they need to give you a little bit more info (I think).

My doctor is supposed to call me back today and this is exactly what i'm going to ask her "I need a bit more information and for you to explain the reasoning behind yet another scan" - i think that is very pointed. Thanks. 

Bigboobsmcgee

groovylocks said:

I did some google searches and it's possible she has some form of macroglossia. Which, actually, this is where it gets really weird because i also have a tongue too large for my mouth. When i was a kid, nobody thought anything of it. I mean, it was never even mentioned. I didn't even know my tongue was too big until this all started and during google searches, I read that the tongue is supposed to sit behind and within the bottom teeth. Mine does nothing of the sort. It rests on my bottom teeth. I bite it a lot. I figured it was just big. You can't even tell unless i stick it out and then it just looks comically chubby.

But according to diagnostic criteria for macroglossia, I have a very mild case of it. And i told the doctor this and showed her and she was like "yeah it's a bit big"

So... yeah this is why i'm worried. This just further supports my theory that my kid is normal with a slightly weird tongue. Hubby thinks it's just a weird money grab and they're just trying to ramp up my bill. I honestly hope that's what it is.

Stay away from Google lol!

groovylocks

So update on this - hopefully it'll help others in the future.

I spoke with my doctor this evening. I like my OBGYN because she doesn't dumb things down or sugar-coat anything. She's very technical and only dumbs down if i ask her to. 

I asked exactly these questions and she said that everything looked absolutely fine. There were two very soft markers for a potential down's syndrome diagnosis - an echogenic intracardiac focus found at the 20 week ultrasound, which has resolved itself and has never been mentioned again, and the slightly large tongue that she so loves to stick out on occasion. She said these two signs alone mean absolutely nothing - as of today, I am carrying a healthy child who is highly unlikely to have any chromosomal issues at all. The only reason they want to do another scan is to ensure that she KEEPS growing properly. That her limbs stay in proportion to the rest of her body etc. 

She explained that there is absolutely nothing wrong but it is this particular health center's policy to monitor ANYTHING that they find unless the mother requests otherwise. She said there is nothing to worry about and no real reason to continue scans. It was merely offered per policy.

I requested otherwise for now but will consider it again following my next appt. If my daughter is healthy and safe and growing, that's what's important to me. There is almost no chance of down's at this point as far as the ultrasound is concerned but on the outside chance that something like that were to happen, it would not be a tragedy, just an adjustment. 

I feel a lot better. My biggest fear was Beckwith Wiederman Syndrome as it can signal an increased likelihood of cancer. She said this was so rare that it wasn't worth even remembering the name of it at this point.