
Does your baby dribble milk from their bottle or have trouble latching during breastfeeding? Does your toddler find chewing or swallowing difficult? A tongue-tie may be the cause. The good news is that tongue-ties are highly treatable. With pediatric speech therapy, your child can build tongue and mouth strength, develop stronger feeding skills, and enjoy more comfortable mealtimes as they grow.
What Is a Tongue-Tie?
A tongue-tie happens when the thin piece of tissue under the tongue, called the frenulum, is shorter, tighter, or thicker than usual. This can limit how much the tongue can move, making it harder for a baby to latch during breastfeeding or for a toddler to chew and swallow effectively.
Some tongue-ties are mild and cause no issues. But if a tongue-tie seems to be causing feeding difficulties, you may be referred to a specialist for a quick procedure to release it.
Early Signs of a Tongue-Tie
Common signs of a tongue-tie include:
- Trouble latching during breastfeeding
- Clicking or popping sounds while nursing
- Dribbling milk from the mouth during feeding
- Long or tiring feeding times
- Poor weight gain despite frequent feeding
- Gassiness or fussiness during and after meals
- Difficulty transitioning to solid foods as a toddler
- Trouble chewing or swallowing solid foods
How Tongue-Ties Affect Feeding and Development
A tongue-tie can:
- Limit nutrition early on. Babies may tire out before finishing a feed, which can lead to slow weight gain or extra stress for parents.
- Make swallowing harder. Babies and toddlers may gulp air or swallow in a way that feels uncomfortable, leading to gassiness or frequent breaks during meals.
- Make transitioning to solid foods tougher. Kids may gag or avoid certain textures, which can limit the variety of foods they eat and affect their nutrition.
- Affect teeth and bite. A tongue-tie can change how the mouth grows, which may impact teeth alignment.
How Pediatric Therapists Can Help Tongue-Ties
Therapists combine treatment with play-based activities to improve tongue movement, build mouth strength, and make feeding more comfortable. Some of the ways they may help include:
- Improving latch and positioning so babies can take in milk more effectively and parents feel less discomfort during feeding
- Building tongue and mouth strength with guided activities that make chewing and swallowing easier
- Helping toddlers transition to solid foods by practicing safe ways to bite, chew, and swallow
- Providing exercises and tips after tongue-tie release surgery to support healing and steady feeding progress
Reach Out Today
If your baby or toddler has been diagnosed with a tongue-tie, or you suspect feeding challenges may be related to a tongue-tie, don’t wait to get help. Reach out to Joy and Laughter Developmental Therapy to make an appointment with a pediatric therapist, or complete our free online screening tool: https://jldtherapy.developmentchecklist.com/.