Lip Tie & Tongue Tie – What Parents Need to Know Beyond Speech Delay
Last time, we talked about how lip and tongue ties can affect speech. But there’s more to it — these ties can also impact feeding, dental health, and even behavior.
How Ties Affect Feeding
- Babies with ties may struggle to latch or feed efficiently.
- They often swallow more air, which can lead to gas, reflux, or colic-like symptoms.
- Eating certain textures (like chewy meats or crunchy veggies) can be harder later in life because the tongue can’t move food around properly.
Dental & Oral Health Concerns
- A tight lip tie can cause gaps between the top front teeth.
- Tongue tie can make cleaning food from the teeth difficult, increasing cavity risk.
- Kids may develop unusual chewing or swallowing patterns that affect jaw growth.
Behavior & Sensory Connections
Many parents of neurodiverse kids notice that oral restrictions can:
- Make kids avoid certain textures or temperatures in food.
- Lead to frustration at mealtimes.
- Affect speech confidence, which can impact social interactions.
Getting the Right Assessment
- Pediatricians are often the first step, but not all are trained to spot ties.
- Pediatric dentists with experience in ties can offer a more detailed evaluation.
- Speech-language pathologists can check if speech challenges are linked to oral restrictions.
Treatment Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
- Some ties are mild and don’t need surgery — therapy alone may help.
- Others benefit from a quick frenectomy followed by targeted therapy.
- The best outcomes happen when release + therapy work together.
💡 Parent Insight: If your child has feeding challenges, speech delay, or oral aversions, asking about ties is worth it — even if it’s just to rule them out.
💌 I share more in-depth guides for parents at HirahCares.org.
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