I think my one year old has tongue tie, what now

[bittapitta]

I think my 11mo nearly 12mo has tongue tie. We've thought it on and off for months but he has thrived on both breast and bottle so never got it checked. But now it's even more pronounced - when he tries to poke his tongue out it's a upside down heart shape. Who would be useful to check this - are GPs well qualified? Health Visitor? How can we be sure at such a late stage?

I am very tongue-tied myself - no problems.

I got both of my DSs' tongue ties snipped (DS1 at 6mo and DS2 at about 3 weeks old) - made no difference and I wish I'd never put them through it.

There is very little evidence around getting tongue ties snipped. A lot of anecdata and hype, but little hard evidence.

Unless your DC is having major language problems, and an experienced ENT, SLT or dentist has identified the TT as the direct cause, just leave it alone.

You could try the HV but I'd go well armed with some evidence. Perhaps print this off and take it with you?

FWIW my DS had undiagnosed tt, I'd never heard of it until I joined MN. We had sleep problems for a very long time, I won't tell you how long in case you are experiencing the same. He also was fine bfing although he did feed for hours on end. Speech was an issue too, he spoke early but has had speech therapy on and off for years. Just telling you all of this as I'd really recommend getting it divided

Thank you for both responses. Obviously too young to know if it will affect speech yet. His sleep is pretty poor but improving, hard to know what to ascribe that to really!

Both of mine were terrible sleepers (awake every 90mins to 2hours for well past a year). Some babies just are. I got DS1's TT done in part because I thought it would make a difference to this - no difference made whatsoever. Same with DS2.

An HV is really not going to have much to say about a TT in an 11mo that doesn't have feeding problems. S/he'll shrug, look blank, and maybe suggest you get your GP to refer to an ENT. ENT will then wonder what you're doing there, and suggest you wait until your DC is actually talking. They would only divide a TT under a GA, and there's no way they'd put an 11mo through that risk for a 'maybe'. There are a couple of private dentists about (in London and Huddersfield) who will do laser divisions without anaesthetic but, again, in the absence of something really obvious, I wouldn't put your DC through it. I deeply regret doing it to DS1 especially, not to mention the pointless expenditure of money.

Thanks elphaba I think at this late stage while he is feeding fine then we will just have to wait and see if it affects his speech. Don't know if it's significant but he is still on stage 1 and now finally 2 bottle teats and he hates the next faster flow.

If he's still BF, though, that's perfectly normal for him to prefer a slower-flow teat. I really wouldn't worry about it at all

My son's TT was snipped in the doctor's surgery with no anaesthetic - 14 years ago though. And he didn't cry once they passed him back to me.

I was told they don't don't do tt cuts for speech, only for feeding issues.

My dd has tongue tie

Picked up at birth but no one to snip. Told to refer to my doctors which I did but it got lost in transaction.

Finally got checked by a paeds doctor at 1 who was reluctant to do anything because she was fully weaned.

He asked to see her again in a year when she's started to speak.

Nothing happened and at 3 years old she's still tongue tied.

It doesn't affect her at all really

You only notice it when she tries to stick her tongue out and can't do it

Don't do anything now. Proper Drs tend not to snip these days because it's usually unnecessary and can have awful repercussions. Google it for stories of kids who can't stop themselves drooling because of a botched job.

A very bad lactation consultant told me DS had TT and said a Dr wouldn't snip but gave me a list of dodgy companies that would. Turns out he didn't have TT anyway but I'm so glad I never took him to see any of those people. I shudder to think how things could have gone.

Thank you for all the stories, real food for thought! We won't do anything now then.