How normal is it for a 5 month old to still stick their tongue out?

[makemineaquadruple]

Hi everyone.

Firstly, I already posted about this in the special needs section and haven't really had much response. If anything, I think I may have offended a few people for some reason.

It's actually about my friends 5 month old little girl. She's absolutely gorgeous and is smiling, gigling and has good eye contact I would say, but her tongue is out constantly and I mean constantly.

I'm concerned because when my dd was born she had hers out all the time and when I took her to the doctors he said it's normal until the age of about 3 months old and after that you may have reason for concern. This is obviously if it's all the time and not just most the time. My dd stopped at about 2 1/2 months.

My friend seems to think that it's funny that she does this and the last few times i've seen them i've been on the edge of asking her if the health visitor has mentioned anything about it on her last visit. I'd hate to offend, upset or patronise her, but i'm just not sure it's right. Also, when she cries it sounds very unusual. I know all babies sound different and I worked in a baby unit of a nursery for 2 years and i've never heard anything so distressing. It never sounds like she's getting enough air and she sounds in pain. I suppose it sounds a little like a newborn does.

Any thoughts?

[hardboiledpossum]

I wouldn't say anything, I don't see what it would achieve other than upsetting your friend. I don't think it does indicate a problem but even if it did I'm not sure why you would need a diagnosis at 5 months. My baby has a cry like you describe when he is scared and still pokes his tongue out, though mainly to blow raspberries now. Is there anything else concerning you about this baby?

[makemineaquadruple]

I suppose overall it's just instinct. I'm sure if I were to say something, I know my friend welll enough to know how to approach it in the best way, but tbh the more I think about it, the more I think I wont.

I really hope it is nothing, but something's telling me that it isn't. I hope i'm wrong.

[Octaviapink]

I think you need to keep back. It's not your instinct to have, basically. Not your baby.

[Magneto]

My ds use to stick his tongue out all the time at that age because he was teething. He either had his tongue out or his lips sucked in so he looked more gummy than he was anyway. He stopped once his top 2 and bottom 2 teeth came through.

[yawningbear]

DS is 8 months and sticks his tongue out most of the time. The GP thinks he has enlarged adenoids. He also breathes through his mouth, rather than his nose so his mouth is usually open, again another sign of enlarged adenoids. People had mentioned it to me, along the lines of 'ahh, isn't that cute'. It didn't bother me at all but I guess by the time people mentioned it I had already realised there was a problem. He is also my second child so I am probably more chilled out about it than I would have been if it had been a problem for DD. I am not suggesting this is the issue for your friends DD but just that it didn't bother me at all that others mentioned it to me. I wouldn't get too stressed about it though, dosen't sound like your friend is

[mankymink]

My DS used to stick his tongue out a lot when he was tired and crying from about 5-7 months. At the time I did wonder about it, but he doesn't do it anymore (is 8.5 mo) so I think it was the onset of teething and the poking out of his tongue must've alleviated some discomfort as the bottom teeth prepared to come through.