Oral Ties: 5 common signs every new parent should look for
Oral Ties: 5 Common signs every parent should look for
5 Signs Your Baby’s Tongue Isn’t Functioning Optimally
Poor tongue suction (when they suck on your finger, pacifier, bottle or breast your baby pops on and off - you may hear a clicking noise when they lose suction)
Difficulty achieving a good latch when breast or bottle feeding
Baby fatigues easily when feeding, make take a long time to feed or fall asleep while feeding
If breastfeeding, the mother may experience nipple pain
Baby overuses lips and jaw when feeding - may see lip blisters from friction
An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who specializes in tongue tied babies is a great first place to start if you think your child might have tethered oral tissues. Next, a specialized pediatric dentist or ENT physician can diagnose the tie if the frenulum is tight enough to be impacting your baby’s function.
Keep in mind, not all tongue ties need to be released. The key is to have your baby’s oral function assessed. Remember that oral ties can affect more than just feeding and the functioning of your baby’s entire body should be addressed.
If your baby’s tongue tie does need to be released, it does not mean your baby is magically cured. Make sure your baby receives pre and post frenotomy care by someone trained in oral function. A release of the restricted tissue is only one piece of the puzzle. The tongue also has to learn how to work with the new range of motion achieved by the release.
I recommend seeing a PT, OT or SLP trained in oral function related to tongue ties to retrain the tongue to work with the new range of motion. If you are having trouble finding a care provider to assess your baby, please reach out!