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Addressing Tongue Ties in Infants and Children

Our background in OT and SLP combined with myofunctional therapy shines when it comes to our work with babies and children born with a tongue and/or lip tie(s). 

Common Problems for Tongue-Tied Babies 

The tongue is deeply connected to a central line of connective tissue. This means that limited movement in the tongue actually makes the neck tighter, feeding more difficult, and tummy time uncomfortable.

So, effective treatment of a tongue-tie makes life better not just for the baby, but for the family as a whole. 

Because when you address tongue movement, a whole host of changes follows – including a calmer baby, improved sleep, and optimal developmental progression.

It’s never too early or too late to start addressing a tongue tie. We’ve supported families with babies as young as 6 days old to provide support for both feeding and tongue mobility concerns.  

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THE ROLE OF MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY BEFORE AND AFTER TONGUE-TIE RELEASE (FRENECTOMY)

  • Tongue Tie in Infants

    Before the Release

    We wake up the nerves that control the tongue’s ability to move upward to prevent reattachment. Through guided sensory experiences, we help desensitize your child’s mouth for better tolerance of postoperative stretches. We also activate the nose to ensure your child is able to close their mouth and breathe through their nose.

  • Pre Tongue Tie Release Therapy

    After the Release

    We continue to train the muscles for proper tongue movement and help with the stretching protocol to prevent reattachment. Most importantly, we address oral motor function for feeding and swallowing.

Keep in mind, the goal of the tongue-tie release is to improve the tongue’s range of motion for optimal tongue placement against the palate. This will ensure proper facial structure development and promote proper breathing. 

Improving Tongue Tie Results

Without orofacial myofunctional therapy to retrain the muscles of the tongue and face, reattachment risk greatly increases, as does the risk of improper healing and the need for further surgery. 

Children who don’t retrain the tongue muscles may have ongoing issues including relapse, extended pacifier use, chronic ear & throat infections, and sleep concerns. 

Find out more about partnering with Airway Academy as part of the plan to address your child’s tongue tie.

Learn More About These Treatments

Parents and Practice: The Keys to Great Outcomes

We’ll be honest: getting results for your child requires dedicated parent involvement. The exercises to retrain muscles and habits take daily, consistent repetition. 

For this reason, we frequently start with intensive therapy, meeting at least three times a week, then taper down session frequency as we make progress.

An intensive therapy schedule allows us to begin making leaps and bounds right away rather than stretching out therapy for months or years. Even with an intensive schedule, in order to see results and decrease the time spent in therapy, you’ll need to work with your child between sessions. 

We refer to the techniques we use as “exercises” for a reason: you’ll only see results with patience and dedication.