LET'S talk ABOUT TONGUE TIES IN INFANTS
Consequences of Untreated Tongue Ties:
Impact on milk supply
Impact on sleep
Painful feeding
Mastitis, clogged ducts
Difficulty introducing solid food
Inefficient feeding
Poor weight gain
How do we treat infants with tethered oral tissues?
Infant Frenectomy
The pressure from the tongue during swallowing forms the shape of the jaws, and the jaw shape and position dictates how the face and airway will develop. So while infant feeding is important for nutrition, it is also crucial for development, which is why we are so passionate about our work with infants.
Tips for Your Infant Frenectomy Visit:
We will have comfortable chairs available, but please bring any pillows or accessories you may need to aid in nursing.
You will have a private room to nurse.
Please have an alternate feeding plan available for the initial healing period. While many babies latch and feed right away, it is possible baby may not want to nurse immediately
Freezing milk in flat 1 oz increments to make breastmilk ice chips can help with wound care/You will be given a small syringe to take home. Having milk stored (either frozen orrefrigerated) to fill the syringe and apply to the site can also help with wound care.
Ideally baby should come “ready for a snack”. Not starving, and not having just eaten a big meal.
Have infant Tylenol (or your analgesic of choice) ready at home.
Infant Frenectomy FAQs
A tongue tie, or ankyloglossia, is a condition when the frenum under the baby’s tongue is restricted in its ability to move.
A combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the occurrence of tongue ties.
The tongue is a unique structure that falls in the scope of practice of both Ear Nose and Throat doctors as well as dentists. Both are licensed to treat tethered oral tissues, but more important is their post-graduate training. Tethered oral tissue diagnosis and treatment is not taught in medical or dental school, so providers must seek additional training to be knowledgeable in this area.
Those performing the procedure are knowledgeable about the anatomy. How babies feed and use their tongue involves specialties like Speech Pathologists, Lactation Consultants, and Occupational Therapists. Both are important in achieving best results.
We utilize state of the art CO2 light scalpel laser technology.
The procedure lasts a few seconds, and your baby will be with our team for a few brief minutes in total.
This varies by patient, as feeding concerns may not surface until later in infancy. Ideally, we see patients during the newborn phase, less than 3 months old. However, we treat babies up to 1 year.
