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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Have appointment. Am Armed. Will it get me anywhere? I doubt it.

21 replies

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:17

RE DS's tongue tie.
Have been busy researching and have 4 'things' to back me up including articles, a surgeon's views from Southampton, and some NICE guidelines currently under review.

While I think of it will also look again at the noises DS isn't supposed to make as he hasn't made any of them.

Appointment tomorrow morning at a horrible horrible hospital. Going to try to get the balance between pleasant mother, and internet researching member of the public who goes in telling the docs their job. Hoping that being a nurse might help me fit into that role.

Sorry for rambling! Getting veryy good at that.

OP posts:

startingtobehalloweenylover · 11/10/2005 22:18

are you trying to get him to be operated on?

it seems to vary depending on what area you're in... some places do it just after birth... some make you wait til they're about 4!

I think that you're entitled to go int here and push for it to be done

charliebat · 11/10/2005 22:21

Write down a little list of all the things you want to say/ask/point doc in direction of or you will kick yourlsef when your half way home of what you forgot to ask
Hope it goes how you want it to

rummum · 11/10/2005 22:23

son is tongue tied... I saw a pediatrition about having him snipped (didn't like the idea of him not being able to snog when he's older )
doctor man said that he spoke so well he wouldn't need it... It was a pain feeding him when he was younger though

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:28

I think they do it after a year here, my HV told me - not that that means its true! He's 11 months, so we'll see.

CB, have written down all my evidence on an a4 paper, which you can bet i'll forget.

RM, he's babbling, but only a few noises. B's and M's, oobees (goodness only knows!) and wack wack for ducks quacking! He was late starting but I am still concerned really.

OP posts:

rummum · 11/10/2005 22:30

what are your concerns?
did he have trouble feeding

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:32

I did! He didn't stop feeding. Was a reluctant feeder to start with an developed jaundice. Then would feed every hour for a period. Found it v v painful. Just thought that was how it was.

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rummum · 11/10/2005 22:34

how about when you feed him with a spoon... It seemed I was the only one who could get the angle right to get the spoon in his mouth... his tongue always seemed to be in the way ....

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:35

Sorry, posted too quickly. Not feeding him anymore, but just feel he isn't babbling as he should. Has always been very vocal, made noises of sorts as soon as we brought him home. Like you say, the snogging thing, and also apparently can cause problem with oral hygiene as can not clean mouth properly.

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Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:36

No thats fine. Nothing will come between my DS and food most of the time!!

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rummum · 11/10/2005 22:38

what happens when they snip it then.... is it a general anesthetic (SP) or local...
or do you just hold him down (just joking )

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 11/10/2005 22:41

Under a certain age (9months some places, a year others) they can do it with a whiff of gas and air as I understand it, bundled up in blankets (so yes, being held down!). There are no nerve endings there, and normally only a drop or two of blood. Apparently some reports say it can be done in the office! Such a minor thing IMO which could prevent many possible problems.

OP posts:

rummum · 11/10/2005 22:45

let us know how you get on tomorrow.....

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 12/10/2005 08:37

will do rm, thanks

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mummynobones · 12/10/2005 09:29

Can't recommend it enough. DD had probs feeding from day 1. TT diagnosed at 3 weeks (after losing weight) and snipped at 5.5 weeks (Southampton Hosp) - she didn't stop sticking her tongue out for ages - just coz she could! It was over in less than 2 mins. Screamed for about 3 and then latched on for 45 mins! I thought she was going to explode she drank so much!

titchy · 12/10/2005 11:01

ds is having his tongue tie snipped next week (he's 4), and they are doing it with a general anaesthetic as they have to work in the mouth which can make his breathing more difficult when sedated so have to have him intubated. May be different for much younger children though.

NotQuiteCockney · 12/10/2005 11:11

Floss, can he stick his tongue out?

Both my boys have tongue ties, but DS1 can say "th", and can stick his tongue out, so we're leaving it be.

Annoyingly, I think DS1's TT was part of the cause of his feeding problems, but it went undiagnosed (except by my brother). DS2's TT was diagnosed by all and sundry (GP, HV, BFC) but he was feeding well, so we've left it. I think he can stick his tongue out, but it's quite thick when it comes out, IYSWIM.

I'd rather leave it, all things considered, assuming it doesn't cause speech issues. If they (or their sexual partners) have an issue with it when they're bigger, well, they can make an informed choice to sort it.

titchy · 12/10/2005 13:09

Slight note of caution NQC - we are having ds's done so that he can eat ice cream properly, remove food from between his teeth, lick round his mouth (using fingers is fine atm but when he's older would look downright slobby!) and so he can kiss properly. Can't seem him or any other teenager wanting THAT conversation with their parents tbh so doing it now to save him the embarrassment later .

However our consultant told us that at 4 it's really quite late and he may never be able to use his tongue effectively and he has never learnt. Apparently some children so learn how to make their tongues long when they stick them out after a TT snip, but others just can;t manage it, so really the younger it is done the better.

NotQuiteCockney · 12/10/2005 13:28

Hmm, titchy, he does seem to manage those things, I will check. TT is of course a relative thing ...

mrsdarcy · 12/10/2005 14:07

Hope the appointment goes/has gone well.

As well as having my list of concerns, I find it helps actually to say that you need a moment to consult your list and tick things off/take notes. Sometimes I also read out what I have written to make sure I have got it right. I also try to dress quite smartly and go into professional, rather than mother mode. I pretend I am taking a witness statment (I'm a solicitor) and it helps calm me down, and also get the information I want. Some consultants react better when they feel you are a fellow professional (of course, some don't think anyone could possibly be as fabulous as they are or feel threatened by it, but that's a whole different story!).

Original poster

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 12/10/2005 16:49

Hi, well after a three hour wait with one poorly little boy (has my awful cold, made the decision after several months wait for appointment to take him anyhow) the consultant was very nice.

He says he has mild tongue tie, and in his opinion not enough for it to affect his speech. He said it would now require full general anaesthesia to cut. He said that if I wanted him to be referred to the have it done he would be happy to do so. But that, at the moment, he thinks it should be left. As DS is still only 11 months, and know I know that if I do feel it should be done I could get it done, IYSWIM, I've agreed to wait. If his speech hasn't progressed much by January (I've decided) I'll go back to GP's to be rereferred and then that way hopefully we will get an seen before we move down to Bristol and he can be referred to a surgeon down there.

NQC, he dosen't really stick tongue out, he blows raspberries, but with his tongue at his lips so to speak. It is also heart shaped when he does this. I was also aware of Titchy's points which is why I was so forthright about it. But the mention of GA, even knowing how safe it is, blah blah, there are some what if's that I don't feel i can justify doing it to DS just yet. Does that make any sense at all?

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katewilson13 · 05/04/2007 13:00

My DS has just (literally last week) had his tongue tie sniped. He's 8 months old. I worried and worried about the general anaesthetic - but persuaded myself that problems with breastfeeding (resolved by bottle feeding) and his clear inability to move his tongue would make it all worth while. I have to say that it went brilliantly. He went into surgery at 8.20am and was out again at 8.40am and that included putting him under the anaesthetic and it wearing off! He fed from a bottle immediately and we were all home by 10.30am! We were referred by our GP to the JR in Oxford and were patients at the new Children's Hospital - which was very new and sparkly. I can't recommend it highly enough. He was a bit grizzly the next day and it's clearly going to be a while before all the muscles work properly but I am so glad we did it.

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