Patient's question:
The doctor said my baby has a short tongue tie. When I went to the hospital, some said to wait until he answers before solving it, but my baby's tongue can stick out very long and he nurses normally. What kind of assistance is needed: Hello, do you need to go to the hospital to solve it? Will it interfere with his speech?...Doctor's answer:
Ankyloglossia can lead to other adverse symptoms. Ankyloglossia not only causes speech impairments but also involves the brain's central vocal cords, tongue, upper and lower lips, and jaw. Among these, changes in the position and shape of the tongue significantly interfere with speech motor functions. If the frenulum is too short, the tongue protrudes forward and curls upward, directly affecting the baby's oral movements. As a result, the baby may have difficulty producing certain sounds, such as lateral consonants (e.g., l, r, s, z), leading to unclear speech or poor English pronunciation. It may also cause other issues like ulcers and malnutrition, so parents must not take it lightly.If the frenulum is short, the baby's tongue protrudes forward, increasing the likelihood of friction between the frenulum and the lower incisors, making it easier to develop ulcers. Additionally, if the tongue is not flexible, it can directly affect the baby's bowel movements, leading to malnutrition. For newborns, parents should pay close attention to their bowel movements. If the tongue cannot move normally, the baby's sucking ability may be impaired, resulting in weak sucking, insufficient milk intake, and poor nutrition.
Hello! Once ankyloglossia is confirmed, it is important to take the baby to the dental department of a hospital for follow-up. After diagnosis, surgical correction can be performed by cutting the frenulum, which yields good results. The best time for the surgery is between 6 months and 1 year old. This ensures smaller wounds, faster healing, and minimal interference with speech practice. It is reported that if the baby is too young, it may be difficult to suture, and local anesthesia may also have side effects for the child. For babies under one year old, it may be challenging to cut the frenulum due to the presence of teeth, and general anesthesia may be required. Around 6 months, the frenulum is still thin, resulting in fewer skin tears and faster healing after surgery. Therefore, the ideal time for frenulum correction surgery is around 6 months.
The surgery to correct ankyloglossia is called "frenuloplasty," which is a simple procedure that can be completed in about 20 minutes. After the surgery, the baby should not eat for 2 hours. In the two weeks following the surgery, parents should take the baby to the hospital for a check-up to monitor wound healing. For children over 2 years old, during the follow-up, it is also important to assess their speech clarity and ability to produce lateral consonants.
After undergoing "frenuloplasty," children with ankyloglossia will experience significant improvement in their symptoms, leading to clearer speech. For older children who undergo surgery, if their pronunciation is already affected, additional speech therapy may be needed after the procedure to correct it. Wishing the baby a healthy and happy transformation!