Tongue tie in a toddler

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If your little one wasn't diagnosed with tongue-tie until toddlerhood, did it look like this? I've taken him to the doctor but when she asked him to open his mouth he wouldn't (at 18 months old, what a surprise!) so she just shrugged and said they wouldn't do anything about it anyway. He has a couple of recognisable words but generally he's pretty indistinct, makes a sort of generic sound for 'What does the cow/sheep/chicken/cat say?' and he's always been very dribbly. It's hard to say what's normal for his age as of course there's a wide range, he's not yet 2, but I feel bad for him if something could be done and we're being palmed off.

There's a 'dip' in the end of his tongue like the top of a heart that's upside down. Dunno how to describe it, Anyway, my amazing artwork should help - what I would consider a normal tongue on the left, his tongue on the right.

Yes, a strawberry or heart shaped tongue is indicative of a tongue tie. My last little one has been referred to maxillofacial at the hospital to get their tongue tie reviewed.

Thanks for the reply! So how old is your little one? The GP made it sound like once they've reached a certain age they just won't do anything about it. He breast fed and bottle fed just fine so I'm thinking it's on the mild side. I feel bad that I only just noticed in the last few months.

No. I'd still insist it was cut. Be polite but firm. Go back to GP and insist you are referred. Both my ds's were done early admittedly. Ds2 had a tongue like snake, a huge v missing at the front. Now he's a teen, it looks almost normal.

Definitely push for it to be cut. It can impact speech really badly so the quicker it's done, the better.

I have a severe tongue tie, I'm 35, it's never been a problem. My kids have mild ties, they've never needed to have them cut, they are also fine.

My 12 year old has a tongue tie. Our dentist noticed it when he was a toddler. It has never caused any speech issues or problems. I don’t think they will do anything about it unless it effects his teeth.I’m happy to leave it alone unless my son decides he wants to have it cut.

It's interesting you say that about teeth as his bottom 2 middle teeth are sort of at 90 degrees to how they should be! I wondered if it's because that's where the dip in his tongue is so they've had nothing to line themselves up against as they come through? Of course that could be utter nonsense. I think I'll try and fix a dentist's appointment but I don't see how he'll get any further than the GP when it comes to having a look! Tiddlers aren't know for their co-operation!

Yes my sons bottom teeth are slightly crooked but nothing major. I know my dentist keeps an eye on them and she always asks him loads of questions which I think is to checks his speech. I used to worry about his tongue tie but it doesn’t seem to bother him at all and as I say, his speech is abs normal.

One of my teens had a severe tongue tie - heart shaped tongue, we didn't realise that he was actually using the middle of his tongue the way others use the end.

I knew he had a tie but as his older sibling had no problems didn't get it cut. They're both atypical in that they breast fed incredibly successfully weight gain wise (though long after that time I realised it was probably the reason they both brought quite a lot back up as they were swallowing air with copius amounts of milk) and both learnt to talk early and clearly in two languages (DH and I have different first languages).

I only realised when I had a third baby without a tongue tie that things I'd thought were fine were far easier without a tongue tie (notably far less bringing milk back up and breastfeeding not being painful ever, even in the first few days).

Anyway mine had his cut as a teen before having a brace fitted. Local anesthesia, no problems.

The orthodontist refered him to the surgeon before fitting the brace, and the surgeon told him it was up to him but would be better to do it before he started wanting to kiss anyone!

We had to pay privately to sort tongue tie when our son was under 2. Midwife came round to ours and just snipped it, no anaesthetic or drama. Our local hospital only does it when kids are older and then it is an anaesthetic job so we thought we’d crack on. Think it was £100 but that was 10 years ago.

How on earth did that work? Was he asleep? How'd you get him to sit still and keep his mouth open, and how come it didn't hurt?!

He lay on the kitchen table - we had to hold him down which felt weird but wasn’t for long, she snipped it, he screamed a bit when she actually went in with the scissors (who wouldn’t) and then a second after she’d done it he gave her the most enormous smile!

Think it doesn’t work this way over age of 2 as the tie grows more robust

It's great that you're attentive to your toddler's well-being. The situation with tongue tie in toddlers can be challenging to assess, especially when they're so young.
If you have concerns about his speech and dribbling, it might be worth seeking a second opinion from a healthcare provider who specializes in tongue tie treatment. They can provide a more thorough evaluation and guide you on the best course of action. Your child's comfort and development are essential, and exploring potential treatment options can offer peace of mind. Best wishes!

My dd has tongue tie. She can’t stick her tongue out all the way. She’s 10 now. Because she developed her speech properly, and had no difficulties with eating, the doctors were happy to leave it alone