Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Tongue tied - any advice

14 replies

karenferris · 27/02/2006 12:26

I'm pretty sure that my DD is tongue tied, or has a short frenulum to be precise!! My health visitor is fairly poor so I'd like to get some idea of what the options are before I make an appointment with the GP. Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Original poster

karenferris · 27/02/2006 12:26

OP posts:

heavenis · 27/02/2006 12:28

How old is you dd. I know my son had it but as he grew the tongue tie disappeared.

Original poster

karenferris · 27/02/2006 12:32

She is 6 months.

OP posts:

OldieMum · 27/02/2006 12:36

How short is the tie? I had a tongue-tie until my dentist discovered it when I was about 40! It had made no impact at all on my ability to speak and I didn't realise that my tongue was unusual. That's not to suggest that you shouldn't take this seriously, but just leaving it alone may be an option.

Original poster

karenferris · 27/02/2006 12:38

She isn't able to stick her tongue out and during rasperberry-blowing her tongue looks heart shaped as if the middle of it is being pulled back. I did have problems breastfeeding and think that this may have been the problem....

OP posts:

heavenis · 27/02/2006 12:39

I think by 12 months he'd grown out of it, but it didn't affect him in his speech etc. I would say if you think it's hindering her in anyway go to the doctors.

mcmudda · 27/02/2006 12:48

Hi Karenferris

My dd (8m) is tongue tied - it's hereditary - my dh is tongue tied too. He can't stick his tongue out beyond his lips.

DD's tongue tie was picked up at birth and the dr said as long as there was no problem with feedin they would leave it alone. If it started to cause problems with speech (v unlikely apparently) then they would inervene by dividing it.

If it's not too short then it will stretch naturally. But if it's really restrictive then apparently it can lead to problems with the palate because the mouth adapts to a restricted tongue or something.

There have been a few threads on this recently. Have a look in the "search archive" section and put "tongue tie" in the title bit. They've been mainly in Health and Breast/bottle feeding subjects.

hth

Original poster

karenferris · 27/02/2006 12:50

Thanks for that, I'll have a look and I think I'll book an appointment with the GP too

OP posts:

meysey · 27/02/2006 21:26

my friend had a baby with tongue tie and had huge problems breastfeeding. there is a specialist in Southampton who can cut the tie if necessary ( a simple op). Many people don't know about this condition so you may need to agitate to get a referral. Good luck

Pruni · 27/02/2006 21:29

Just a quickie - it is shocking that there's just this one guy in Southampton (friend from Oxfordshire went there too) but you can try pestering your local paeds and seeing if they will do it - it is literally a snip and that's it! Apparently some of them will do it after the birth but it's the kind of thing that if they're 12 and think you're just a hysterical mother they will look askance.

SueW · 27/02/2006 21:44

\link{http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/tonguetie.asp\list of those who will snip tongue tie} Carolyn Westcott in Southampton will train midwives, docs, Hvs, (even breastfeeding counsellors/lactation consultants I think I heard) to do this.

Pruni · 27/02/2006 21:47

Wow, am amazed by that list, and can tell you straight off that the info for Oxford is wrong - friend was told no-one would do it locally hence the trip to Southampton.

busybaby · 27/02/2006 22:13

My daughter is tongue tied - she's now 4.5 months old and I had to give up breastfeeding about a month ago because she hadn't been latching on properly and had subsequently had awful colic since she was about 2 weeks old.

We diagnosed the tongue tie ourselves after researching on the internet as the health professionals we'd seen hadn't picked it up.
Just search on google or whatever for tongue tie (or ankyloglossia as it's known in the medical world) and it will come up with loads of information.
Good luck!

SueW · 27/02/2006 22:16

The info for Nottm is def right as Mr Stewart is my DD's cons and I've spoken to his sec about this having seen a story in a midwifery jounral about a mum who drove 200 miles to see him. Shocking she had to drive so far.

Would be interesting to know when babyfriendly last checked info.

Flip