A tongue tie (ankyloglossia) is the most common type of oral restriction. It occurs when the tissue (lingual frenulum) connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too tight or too short. This restricts the tongue’s range of motion, can impact strength, and may contribute to tightening and tension elsewhere in the baby’s body. 

Tongue tie is noticed first by parents who will see difficulty with feeding and will start to recognize some of the signs and symptoms listed below. However, formally, diagnosing a tongue tie involves an examination by a trained healthcare professional and entails: 

• Medical History
• Visual Examination
• Functional Examination

Signs and Symptoms

In Baby: 

• Mouth/lips open at rest 
• Shallow latch 
• Inability to stick tongue out 
• Difficulty maintaining latch; pops on/off 
• Chomping, gumming 
• Swallowing air, clicking 
• Colic, gassy, irritable 
• Milk spilling from mouth during feed