Tongue tie?

KNJepp · June 2011

Anyone dealt with this?

When Cameron was just a few weeks old, an LC I saw mentioned in passing that she thought he was tongue tied, which was odd since when he was born, the midwives checked and said he was not. However, we were having some nursing issues, so I took him to an ENT who said he was not tongue tied - or at least not enough so as to impact nursing. Things improved and I never really gave it any more thought.

That said, I'm starting to wonder if maybe he is somewhat tongue tied after all. He never sticks his tongue out. At all. Ever. We can stick our tongues out at him, and he thinks it's funny, but his never comes back out. I've not tried (I'm going to tomorrow), but I'm pretty sure if I hold an ice cream cone in front of him, my kid won't be able to lick it. I'm also wondering if it's impacting his speech. The boy babbles endlessly (and very conversationally), but he has very few words that we can understand.

I plan on talking to the pedi about it at his 18 month appointment in early July, and that's only a few weeks away, but right now it feels like a long time to stew, so I was wondering if anyone had any advice. And trying to check under his tongue myself is pretty much impossible...

CareBear01 · June 2011

I have a tongue tie (ankyloglossia). The doctor wouldn't cut it when I was a baby (I guess he didn't think it was "interfering" enough, or would stretch out more).

It doesn't affect my speech. I don't slur or have a lisp, etc. No one can tell. I do not remember having any kind of speech therapy or anything when I was little. Nor did it affect my teeth (I don't have any gaps at the bottom or anything), but I have heard that it could, since the frenulum does push up against your teeth in certain instances.

If I stick out my tongue, it pretty much stops at my bottom lip (it curls under since the frenulum gets stopped by my bottom teeth). I would say the space between the tip of my tongue and my frenulum is about half an inch. I think it wasn't until I was 6-7 before I realized it. I remember my sister and I sticking our tongues out at each other (or it felt like I was), and she made some comment about me not doing it, and I said "yes I am" - then went and checked in the mirror. Since I was aware of it, I avoided sticking it out at kids growing up, or did it quickly - as to not get teased (not sure if they would have, but I just wanted to avoid it all together).

I can french kiss (I have adapted), but I don't know that anyone that I have kissed knew about it? Never asked if it was different than anyone else's. lol.

I have looked into getting it clipped, now as an adult. No reason, really, but was wondering how the procedure was done. Unfortunately, as you get older, more nerves grow in the frenulum, so it's not as easy as a "clip" procedure they do when they are newborns. I haven't looked into it since - if it was a quick procedure, I might have done it, but I wasn't looking for anything complicated.

I would ask your pedi about it. If they give you the option, and it is a Lingual frenotomy (clipping), then I would consider it. If it is a Lingual frenectomy (surgery), then I would weigh your pros and cons.

I never had a problem with it - but I don't know any different, either.

erica_kaspar · June 2011

CareBear01:
I have a tongue tie (ankyloglossia). The doctor wouldn't cut it when I was a baby (I guess he didn't think it was "interfering" enough, or would stretch out more).

It doesn't affect my speech. I don't slur or have a lisp, etc. No one can tell. I do not remember having any kind of speech therapy or anything when I was little. Nor did it affect my teeth (I don't have any gaps at the bottom or anything), but I have heard that it could, since the frenulum does push up against your teeth in certain instances.

If I stick out my tongue, it pretty much stops at my bottom lip (it curls under since the frenulum gets stopped by my bottom teeth). I would say my frenulum is about half an inch. I think it wasn't until I was 6-7 before I realized it. I remember my sister and I sticking our tongues out at each other (or it felt like I was), and she made some comment about me not doing it, and I said "yes I am" - then went and checked in the mirror. Since I was aware of it, I avoided sticking it out at kids growing up, or did it quickly - as to not get teased (not sure if they would have, but I just wanted to avoid it all together).

I can french kiss (I have adapted), but I don't know that anyone that I have kissed knew about it? Never asked if it was different than anyone else's. lol.

I have looked into getting it clipped, now as an adult. No reason, really, but was wondering how the procedure was done. Unfortunately, as you get older, more nerves grow in the frenulum, so it's not as easy as a "clip" procedure they do when they are newborns. I haven't looked into it since - if it was a quick procedure, I might have done it, but I wasn't looking for anything complicated.

I would ask your pedi about it. If they give you the option, and it is a Lingual frenotomy (clipping), then I would consider it. If it is a Lingual frenectomy (surgery), then I would weigh your pros and cons.

I never had a problem with it - but I don't know any different, either.

I have finally found my twin.

I'm tongue tied. I can't stick my tongue out at all. It literally hurts to stick it out. Olivia also seems to have this.

Honestly? It isn't a big deal to me. I can't touch my nose with my tongue whatever. I will get over it. I did have to take speech class for a couple of years but who cares. It didn't bother me. It never affected my eating habits. It never really affected me that much.

If it affects Olivia's speech (greatly) or eating habits (which I doubt) we will think about getting it clipped but I lived with it so I don't see the point in having a procedure to clip if it unnecessary.

KNJepp · June 2011

Thanks for the first-hand knowledge, CareBear and Erica! From what I understand, there can be varying degrees that have varying consequences, but it's nice to know that it can totally be a non-factor after looking on the internet and getting the impression of woe and doom due to it!

horn_jm@hotmail.com · June 2011

DS1 is tongue tied, and so is my DH (who has no issues). Our pedi said since it didn't impact nursing, we would evaluate around 3 to see if it was affecting speech. She felt he had enough range of motion, but our (former) pediatric dentist was insistent that DS have the procedure done. We got a referral from the pedi to see an ENT as another opinion, and he agreed with our pedi that DS1 has enough range of motion and just to pay attention as he gets older for the "L" and "TH" sounds to develop (early elementary is when this is expected). We even saw a speech therapist at the elementary school, who again felt DS1 is developing just fine. He is starting to make the "L" sound at 4.5, so I'm really not worried about it any more.

Lurker216 · June 2011

My DS had a tongue tie that did impact nursing. He wasn't gaining weight, I got mastitis and bad cracks, etc. We got his clipped in an office visit at about 1 month of age. Within a week he was nursing better and gaining weight well.

I don't have any advice about your situation but I'm glad we clipped DS's when he was an infant. I would think as long as his speech is developing appropriately it would be fine. Our ENT said that the 2 times tongue ties make a difference is with breastfeeding and speech.

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