Understanding the Challenges of tongue tie in infants
One of the most common concerns these days for infants and babies is the possible implications of dealing with 'tongue ties' (short lingual frenum) and the impact it has on breastfeeding, speech, and the brain’s development. If you have noticed that your baby is having trouble latching, is uncomfortable turning the head to one or both sides, has colic symptoms, reflux, or any other signs, we want to help you!
As humans, we are born with different types of frenulums in the oral cavity, and these membranes serve to join different parts of the mouth together. We have one upper and one lower labial frenulum, and its function is to connect the lip and gum. We also have a lingual frenulum that serves to attach the tongue to the floor of the mouth. In this blog, we will focus on explaining what a short lingual frenum (tongue tie) is, what problems can arise, and how chiropractic care can help your baby.
WHAT IS A TONGUE TIE?
This thin sublingual membrane has the function of carrying out the movements necessary to speak, chew, or swallow normally. When the lingual frenulum of babies does not develop normally and is shorter than usual, we are faced with what is called a short lingual frenulum or lingual ankyloglossia.
Children who are born with this membrane that is too short usually have the frenulum very close to the tip of the tongue, which prevents them from moving it easily. A sign that shows lingual ankyloglossia in a baby or child is when they raise or stick out their tongue: if it loses its rounded shape and a v-shape is seen, it may be a sign that it has a short lingual frenulum.
In the case of babies who are still breastfeeding, they have difficulty sucking the breast correctly. Sometimes this situation can be painful for moms, and they can experience sore or cracked nipples. While it is true that when faced with the impossibility of correctly extracting milk, babies may look for tactics to achieve suckling, this extra work can lead to anxiety for both the baby and mom, extra tension in the muscles of the face, neck, and the baby’s whole body.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS?
difficulty getting a good latch
clicking sounds while breastfeeding or bottle feeding
baby is frequently hungry
slow weight gain
baby is uncomfortable while getting fed due to extra facial & neck muscle tension
colic and/or reflux
inconsistent sleep patterns
CARE OPTIONS FOR TONGUE TIE
In general, we can classify the care of tongue tie from two points of view: conservative care or surgical intervention. To correct the cause of the tongue tie, the severity of the tie must be individually evaluated, as the same care is not recommended for all cases.
It is recommended that as parents, you make an informed decision based on the individual impact that a tongue tie has on your baby’s nutrition, brain development, and stress-related factors. A tongue tie is not merely a genetic predisposition. This is extremely important because the true cause of the tongue tie could be related to in utero stress, birth trauma, and a continual flight-fight response in the baby to the environment, creating a pattern of repeated neurological stress. It is known that physically challenging births commonly cause misalignments in the baby’s spine. These misalignments cause a somatic dysfunction effect that manifests as a localized area with changes in the muscles and fascia adjacent to the spine. A combination of all these factors can add further tension or pressure to the cranial and oral systems, impacting the baby’s neurodevelopment.
Understanding the true cause of tongue ties and bringing healing solutions can be a complex journey. We are here to help you! Most of the time, we have seen that this condition is related to tension and stress of the nervous system. Here at Revolution Chiropractic, we use a non-invasive thermography-based scan that provides insights into the neurological challenges your baby is experiencing.
We want to see you and your baby succeed on the feeding journey, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you think that your baby is experiencing a challenging time while getting fed. We will certainly be able to help you both!
