Is there something wrong with my baby's tongue?!

[milkovermayhem]

My DS is 14 months old. I have just realised that he has never stuck his tongue out....ever. He is usually really keen to copy everything and I have been sticking out my tongue at him since he was tiny.

Also if I offer him a lick of ice cream or something like that he can't or won't stick out his tongue.

I am worried he might be tongue tied or something, although I did breastfeed him until he was 13 month so I would have thought this might have be a problem if he was tongue tied.

I'm really worried now and concerned that he this might be affecting the sounds he makes, or doesn't make, he is not very chatty!

Anyone experienced this or able to put my mind to rest??

Milk, I honestly don't know if he lifted his tongue up or not. I don't recall ever seeing under it, but I wasn't consciously looking so don't kno if I would have noticed.

Milk, I don't think I noticed any difference in my DS's speech as compared to other children. I was more concerned about breast feeding and general oral hygeine, i.e. unable to lick etc.

But I do remember my ENT specialist saying that his tongue tie was severe enough to cause a speech impediment in the future. But at that point, my DS was babbling like any other 1.5 year old child.

I did take a variety of opinions (including consulting a private doctor) before I went ahead with the surgery, as I was concerned about administering anaesthesia to such a small child.

But the more I researched, the more convinced I was that getting it snipped at the earliest was the right thing.

So on the back of all your replies and for peace of mind I took DS to the doctor.

The doctor admitted that she had never seen a tongue tied baby except in text books. I listed all the things that made me think DS was tongue tied and she thought that there was a pretty good case for it. She then examined DS who pretty much screamed in her face, so letting the doctor see his tongue mid scream. Although I don't really know if this was ideal for actually telling it DS's tongue is tied.

The doctor said she didn't think DS was tongue tied and if he was then it is mild. Fair enough I suppose but the fact remains he still can't stick his tongue out and we have been trying with an ice lolly today!

I guess my question is what else should I do? Shuld I just accept that the doctor has said, even though she admits that she has never seen a tongued tied baby?

Nope, don't accept it. "Mild" tongue tie is so misleading. Not being able to stick the tongue out is not "mild"

DS1 had undiagnosed tt until he was 6yo and there are many problems which can be associated with it.

milk matters are experts at identifying tt it costs about £25

Thanks mawbroon I have emailed milk matters but I don't think operate in my area. Do you know anyone else I could try?

Are you in the South? Southampton General has an expert - Mr Griffiths but need to be referred by GP or lactation consultant.

No thisonce im in the north and I have been doing some googling but no success so far.

I would drop in to a breast feeding clinic as they usually know how to check for this and who to refer to if so.

milk matters would at least be able to tell you if they thought there was a tongue tie or not and you can take it from there.

There is a clinic in Huddersfield that lasers tongue and lip ties. We are going to make the 400mile round trip to get ds1's ties done there.

The RVI in Newcastle has a tongue-tie clinic once a week. My health visitor referred me, no need for it to be a GP. DS had his done at 3 weeks, although it wasn't heart shaped and the first midwife I asked said it wasn't bad enough to be a problem, the Dr who did it said that he wouldn't have been able to lick a lolly.

mainly that's really interesting. Newcastle is a manageable distance for me.
Do you remember what day of the week it is on and the doctor?

I will contact my health visitor this week- I would feel much better having an expert look at it. Thanks v much

It was on a Monday when we went and the Consultant is Anne Lawson, though we just saw a registrar. A friend of mine had her DS's done at about the same age as yours, under general anaesthetic.

Thanks for info-I'll def use it when I speak to health visitor!