What You Need to Know About Tongue Ties: Part Two.

How does a provider "check" for a tongue tie?

There are 3 factors we need to consider when diagnosing a tongue tie.

#1 Structure- The way it LOOKS. Where does it attach? How thick is it? How short is it?

#2 Mobility- The way it MOVES: How tight is it? Does it limit range of motion in any direction? Is it causing any tension?

...and the most important one

#3 Function- The way it WORKS: Is it impacting feeding, speaking, breathing, sleeping, dentition, or proper facial growth?

➡️A provider who is knowledgeable in tongue tie should consider all 3 of these factors when assessing! We all have a band of tissue under our tongue called a frenulum. But to diagnose and treat it as a tongue tie really depends on the details of how each unique case presents. So if it looks short, but it's not impacting function at all, that's not a tongue tie. We may want to keep our eyes out for potential disfunction, but we don't recommend to release it without a functional impact. Make sense?

What has your experience been with having a tongue tie diagnosed? Did the provider consider all three of these factors? Have you ever been told you had a "mild" tongue tie?