4 Ways to Determine if Your Child Has a Tongue-Tie

Taking care of your baby is your top priority. Making sure they’re loved, changed, and fed are all essential, but what if that last component becomes increasingly difficult? Feedings lead to tears between you and your baby, but you don’t know why. If you are struggling to breastfeed or bottle-feed your little one, it may be that they have a tongue-tie in Phillipsburg. A local specialist is here to share four ways you can tell if you should seek treatment.

The Size and Shape of The Tongue

When looking at your baby, does it appear that they have a heart-shaped tongue? Do you notice a band of tissue that extends from the underside (near the tip) to the floor of their mouth? Are they unable to stick out their tongue? If you answered “yes” to these questions, there’s a good chance your little one has a tongue-tie.

They Exhibit Symptoms

Not all infants will exhibit every symptom listed, but any one of these could mean your baby might have a tongue-tie:

• Poor latch when breastfeeding
• Always hungry
• Prolonged feedings due to difficulty latching
• Fussiness while attempting to nurse or take a bottle
• Acid reflux
• Poor weight gain
• Gassy
• Smacking noises when attempting to feed

If you have a child who is a bit older and is just now experiencing issues that cause you to believe they have a tongue-tie, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Speech impediment or delay
• Mumbling or hard to understand
• Mouth breathing
• Snores
• Suffers from bruxism (teeth grinding)
• Frequently chokes or gags on food

You Exhibit Symptoms

Along with your child, it is also normal for mothers to suffer from symptoms caused by their child’s tongue-tie, such as:

• Painful nursing
• Cracked or blistered nipples
• Mastitis
• Enlarged breasts from the inability to successfully nurse
• Must use a nipple shield when attempting to feed the baby

You Know Something Isn’t Right

As a mother, you understand what it means to have a “motherly instinct.” You know something is “off,” so you do everything you can to find the answer and remedy the problem. If your gut is telling you something isn’t right with your child, run with it. Don’t spend months agonizing over the maybes or maybe nots. Schedule an appointment with a lip and tongue-tie specialist to inquire about treatment.

You may find that by getting your little one in early on, they can undergo a frenectomy in Phillipsburg and avoid many difficulties often faced by infants and parents struggling with this same problem.

With the help of a trusted professional, your baby can achieve greater oral function, and you can continue to create a beautiful bonding experience with your child while feeding. Don’t wait to seek help. Talk to a tongue-tie specialist to learn if your child should undergo a frenectomy.

About the Author
Dr. Garcia-DeMartino is a lip and tongue-tie specialist based in Phillipsburg. Seeing a common trend of lip and tongue-ties developing in infants and parents struggling, she underwent extensive training to begin treating these problems. Attending the International World Clinical Laser Institute, she became an expert in the use of soft tissue and hard tissue lasers. Now, she proudly helps patients suffering from the effects of lip and tongue-ties. If you or your child is experiencing problems because of restricted tissues, visit our website or call (908) 859-5260.