For many new moms, breastfeeding their newborn brings a set of challenges. Tongue-tie is just one of those. Our pediatric otolaryngologist answers frequently asked questions about tongue-ties, the symptoms and treatment options.
What is a tongue-tie?
A tongue-tie is when the thin tissue that attaches the bottom of the tongue to the mouth is abnormally tethered. This can impair the function or movement of the baby’s tongue. Tongue-ties are classified in degrees of severity. They can make it difficult for newborn babies to successfully breastfeed.
Tongue-ties can, in rare circumstances, affect speech and the baby's ability to drink from a bottle.
Sign up for our Health Highlights e-newsletter
How common is tongue-tie?
The number of reported tongue-ties has increased over the years as more moms are breastfeeding and discovering their babies have the issue.
What are common symptoms of tongue-tie?
If you are concerned that your baby has tongue-tie, you should look out for the following:
• You have increased pain while breastfeeding.
• Your baby has trouble gaining weight.
• Your baby isn't able to get a full feed while breastfeeding.
You can discuss these concerns with your baby's pediatrician. They can assess whether a tongue-tie is playing a role.
Join our breastfeeding support group
How is a tongue-tie diagnosed?
Babies need to be able to suck, swallow and breathe to breastfeed. If any one of those things are affected, then your baby's breastfeeding can also be affected. The tongue is only one part of that triad. Our providers also assess your baby's breathing and swallow function for breastfeeding. There are many reasons why a baby may not breastfeed well.
Learn about breastfeeding benefits, challenges and latching tips
Who can treat tongue-ties?
Dentists, lactation consultants, chiropractors, pediatricians and otolaryngologists all can treat tongue-ties. If you suspect tongue-tie in your baby, talk to their pediatrician.
Get tips for parents to encourage baby bonding
How can UC Davis Health providers help mothers and babies with tongue-tie?
We offer a tongue-tie clinic each month, in which we assess the child's anatomy and function of their tongue. Our team includes a pediatric otolaryngologist and a feeding therapist.
One benefit of being seen in our tongue-tie clinic is that we look at your baby as a whole and assess why they're having trouble breastfeeding. If we deem that the tongue-tie is affecting feeding, we can address it in our clinic with a procedure called a lingual frenotomy (clipping or cutting the tongue-tie). The procedure takes only a couple of minutes and is well tolerated by babies. After the procedure, we have the mother breastfeed her baby, with the help of our feeding therapist, to ensure an improvement in breastfeeding pain.
We only perform a lingual frenotomy about one-third of the time. The rest of the time, we often identify airway issues, jaw issues and other reasons why your baby is having trouble breastfeeding.
Do babies outgrow tongue-tie?
There is a significant association between breastfeeding success and tongue-tie. As a baby gets older, their diet expands to solid foods. Tongue-tie has not been shown to affect the ability to eat solid foods. As the baby grows and their diet expands, tongue-tie becomes less of a significant issue.
Can older children have tongue-tie?
Yes, older children can have tongue-tie. Signs that it might be necessary to clip a tongue-tie are different for older children than for babies. Check with your child's pediatrician if you suspect tongue-tie in your older child. At UC Davis Health, our speech and language pathologist can evaluate your child to diagnose tongue-tie and see if a procedure is necessary.
Check out more blog topics on children's health
Explore our pediatric services
Since this is as a medical visit, it is covered through medical insurance. Your only out-of-pocket cost would be your co-pay. You will need a referral from a primary care provider to make an appointment.
Learn why you should partner with a primary care provider for your health
This blog has been medically reviewed by pediatric otolaryngologist Aditi Bhuskute.
