Tongue Ties in Infants and Children: Why They Matter and What to Do About Them
Tongue ties, or ankyloglossia, occur when the lingual frenulum—the tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth—is too short, tight, or thick. This restriction limits the tongue’s range of motion and can significantly affect feeding, oral development, and even long-term airway and speech function.
Why Tongue Ties Are More Than Just a Mouth Issue
Tongue movement begins in utero and continues after birth. It's strengthened during breastfeeding or bottle feeding and plays a critical role in developing proper oral function.
When tongue function is restricted, the effects are often widespread. A child’s ability to suck, swallow, breathe, chew, speak, and maintain a proper rest posture of the tongue can all be affected.
How Tongue Ties Affect Feeding
In infants, tongue ties can create significant feeding difficulties:
Poor latch or shallow latch
Nipple pain for the mother
Inadequate milk transfer
Extended or inefficient feeding sessions
Poor weight gain or early weaning
Symptoms of gas, reflux, or colic
Difficulty maintaining suction or coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing
These challenges can be exhausting for both baby and parent, and they often go unrecognized or dismissed.
What Does Oral Dysfunction Look Like?
When a baby’s tongue isn’t functioning properly—due to a tongue tie, tension, or oral motor imbalance—it may show up as:
Restlessness or fussiness during or after feeds
Excess gas or uncomfortable digestion
Clicking sounds during feeding
Difficulty latching or staying latched
Dislike of tummy time
Tongue thrust that persists past infancy
Early picky eating habits
Delayed speech or unclear articulation
(SEO addition: These symptoms may indicate a need for infant tongue tie evaluation or oral function screening.)
The Long-Term Impact of Untreated Tongue Ties
Left unaddressed, tongue ties can influence how a child’s face, jaw, and airway develop. In older infants and children, oral restrictions can lead to:
High, narrow palate
Mouth breathing
Poor tongue posture
Misaligned teeth or jaw structure (malocclusion)
Speech articulation difficulties
Inadequate airway development or sleep-disordered breathing
Risk of obstructive sleep apnea later in life
Digestive challenges and inefficient chewing may also develop, creating further strain on daily function and quality of life.
What a Proper Assessment Looks Like
A thorough tongue tie assessment is not just a visual check. At Nurture 360, Dr. Jaclyn Bastien uses a functional, whole-body approach that includes:
Full health and feeding history (including latch, reflux, and sleep patterns)
Assessment of body tension (neck, jaw, spine, shoulder girdle)
Oral function testing (tongue mobility, palate shape, suck strength, lip and cheek tone, jaw motion, resting posture)
Evaluation of whether function is impacting development, feeding, or body compensation
Treatment & Collaborative Care
If a tongue tie is impacting function, treatment may include:
Chiropractic bodywork to reduce full-body tension
Intraoral techniques to support better tongue mobility
Referral to specialists if needed (lactation consultant, release provider, SLP, or myofunctional therapist)
Functional frenotomy support in Windsor, including pre- and post-release care for families choosing tongue-tie treatment
Supportive home exercises and parent education
This collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach ensures care is personalized and developmentally appropriate.
What the Research Shows
Tongue ties are often underestimated—but the research is clear:
A 2017 systematic review found that tongue tie release (frenotomy) improves breastfeeding outcomes, including latch and maternal pain
Ultrasound studies show tongue-tied infants have abnormal tongue movement that reduces milk transfer (Geddes et al., 2008)
Untreated tongue ties are linked to airway collapse and sleep-disordered breathing in children (Guilleminault et al., 2016)
Myofunctional therapy paired with frenuloplasty improves tongue posture and orofacial function (Zaghi et al., 2019)
In toddlers, release can improve feeding, sleep quality, and speech (Baxter et al., 2020)
Trust Your Instincts
If you suspect something isn’t right—whether it’s tension in your baby’s body, feeding challenges, or delayed speech—it’s okay to ask questions. Tongue ties are often overlooked, but they don’t need to be.
At Nurture 360, we offer functional, compassionate care that looks at the whole picture—so you’re never left second-guessing your instincts.
