Anyone else had a tongue and lip tie corrected at 6months+

[furryfriends57]

OK so here is the saga! DD is nearly 8 months and I have posted a few times and got great support because it has been a horrendous time where she has had reflux, cried constantly, drank very little, got sick several times a day and always wants to be held. I have been to so many professionals and always got patted on the head as an over anxious mother and was told "all babies cry and she will grow out of it". Well they were wrong and finally someone listened and she has had a tongue and lip tie all along . We can get it corrected with laser therapy but I am concerned she is too old to have it done and I hate putting her through it. I feel it might be worth it as she takes in a lot of air and that triggers the sickies and it should also allow her to drink more and be happier in herself. So I am wondering if anyone else here has experienced late diagnosis of tongue or lip tie or ideally both and did you get it fixed and did it work out? Thanks so much .

[mawbroon]

Yes, but much later as in age almost 7yo.

If we had had him revised as a baby, it would have saved a lot of heartache. He had many problems relating to his ties and his whole orofacial structure was affected.

He was revised with laser just over a year ago and there is a huge difference in his eating, breathing and sleeping, all of which are essential for good health.

[furryfriends57]

Oh thank you Mawbroon thats what I was hoping to hear. The procedure only takes 10 minutes but I dread putting her through it. Do you mind me asking if you had similar issues with your DS to what I had with mine and did it take long for the improvements to begin. I can honestly say it has been an awful awful 7 months and I am afraid to get my hopes up that things will improve.

[EmpressOfThe7WillowsandTaras]

Not lip tie, but my tongue tie was diagnosed and treated at 11yo after years of speech problems. I had to be taught to use my tongue after that but it was very, very worth it!

[furryfriends57]

Thanks Empress, so happy for you that it worked out for you. From what you and Mawbroon say we should go ahead with it as may cause speech, eating, facial problems down the line. I feel so much happier with my decision to go for it.

[mawbroon]

Well, as a baby, he was a really inefficient feeder. Luckily it was not painful, but he needed to feed all the time. Everyone was reassuring me that babies need to feed a lot, but seriously, some days he would spend 16hours feeding out of 24. He was the world's worst sleeper, not sleeping through until he went to school.

I read about tongue tie when he was about 2yo and reckoned he probably was, but didn't do anything about it. He then suffered terrible gut problems - allergies, intolerances, really frequent stomach bugs, ear infections, congestion and hearing loss, continued poor sleeping, mouth breathing, snoring and bouts of apnoea.

At age 5yo he started complaining of reflux type symptoms along with bloating and wind. That was when I became much more knowledgeable about tongue ties and realised that the whole lot was linked. His tongue tie had caused a high, narrow palate which restricts the space for the nostrils and eustacian tubes hence the mouth breathing and ear trouble.

I suspect he had been suffering reflux for a long time but was only able to verbalise it when he did. I suspect that the ear "infections" was actually irritation from the reflux with stomach fluids reaching his eustacian tubes.

He was revised under GA aged 6yo (I didn't know any different about the GA) and his gastric problems disappeared overnight. A few months later at his next audiology appointment, his ears were clear after being congested for about 2 years.

I then came to realise that despite having paid ££££ privately to a surgeon who was supposed to know about tongue tie, his tongue was still restricted. So, we went to a dentist in Huddersfield for assessment who diagnosed posterior tongue tie and a grade 3 upper lip tie. He also pointed out that his orofacial structure was distorted and early orthodontics were necessary to avoid extractions as a teen. We had him revised with laser last year and we are now a year down the line with orthodontic treatment.

The difference is amazing. He wears headgear at night to bring out the middle section of his face which has opened up his nostrils enough to stop the mouth breathing and snoring. He can chew and swallow more easily and has no more gastric troubles.

It's not to say that every child with ties will have all these problems, but I think it is important that parents of tied children are aware of the potential problems when considering revision.

[furryfriends57]

Thats very interesting Mawbroon but so sorry you have had such a crap time. I think the laser option is relatively new and is supposed to be very successful if the exercises are done afterwards. Just as a matter of interest has your DS attended a cranial osteopath? My DD is attending one for a few weeks and the osteopath specialises in difficult cases and has already made a huge difference to DD but without revision she wont be able to suck and chew properly. Its a gamble to get it done but I think its worth it as can cause such problems as you both have seen.

[mawbroon]

Yes re the cranial osteopathy. He had a session at the dental surgery after revision with the CO who works at the clinic.

We travelled 400miles round trip for laser revision, and luckily the dentist was able to recommend a dentist here for us who is also an osteopath, including cranial.

He works inside ds1's mouth regularly to help with the palate expansion. Last time we went, I mentioned he was teeth grinding and he said that sometimes people grind when they are out of alignment. He manipulated in his mouth and the grinding stopped!

I know a lot of people think that cranial osteopathy is woo, but I have seen the benefits with my own eyes!! I would suggest that you would need to see a CO who understands about tongue tie. And you can have all the CO you want, but the tension will remain unless the ties are revised!

[mawbroon]

Also, there is a closed group on facebook called tongue tie babies support group. Ask to join, there are loads of knowledgeable people on there!

[furryfriends57]

You explained really well why we need to do this when you say the tension will remain unless the tie is fixed. I am so glad I posted and as always someone knowledgeable and selfless enough to reply has helped . Yes Yes and Yes re CO who understands ties because I went to two others who missed it and would be considered the two "best" COs where I live . The current CO is knowledgeable thankfully and diagnosed without even looking in DDs mouth. Yes I thoroughly agree that CO is brilliant as I too have seen the benefits.

[IsabellaRockerfeller]

DS had his TT diagnosed and snipped at 8 months.

As he only had 2 half teeth, the Dr decided DS would not bite him and he didi it without an anaesthetic. That sounds terrible but actually the skin they cut has no nerve endings so no pain is felt there.

DS didn't like being held still but was fine with the snip, just got straight on for a BF and stopped crying as soon as I stopped holding him down.

[IsabellaRockerfeller]

Oh and his feeding after the snip was great. Before he'd struggle to stay latched on for more than a few seconds, take in lots of air and generally be miserable.

[furryfriends57]

Thanks Isabella, like your DS I think the being held will be the hardest part but at keast the laser part is fast. DD takes in lots of air when feeding / eating and sucking the dummy and I hope that will stop or at least improve afterwards.

[EmpressOfThe7WillowsandTaras]

I don't know anything about cranial osteopathy but I think you're definitely making the right decision, Furry.

[furryfriends57]

Thanks Empress yes I think I am right to go ahead with it, the replies here have really helped to make me feel less guilty for putting her through it.