When a tongue tie is left untreated, it is likely negative issues will eventually occur for the person afflicted. Although every patient born with tongue tie will experience it differently, common implications will stem from an untreated tongue tie. The Breathing and Sleep Center in Colorado Springs has an expert team who specialize in sleep disordered breathing and sleep apnea. They also specialize in treating tongue ties, preventing the consequences described below.
What is tongue tie?
If you’ve never heard about tongue tie, think of it as a condition where the cord underneath the tongue (the one that connects it to the bottom of the mouth) is either too short or too tight. This generally causes restriction of tongue movement, leading to other issues until the condition is addressed. This medical condition can be diagnosed from birth, but often gets overlooked into adulthood. Between birth and adulthood, there are many negative affects a person may experience, including those described below.
Implications of untreated tongue tie
Some of the problems a person with untreated tongue tie may experience include:
- Delayed speech development – because the tongue is restricted in its movements, it could cause your child’s speech development to be delayed longer than normal.
- Difficulty chewing – it’s often difficult for a person with untreated tongue tie to chew solid foods. In fact, it may be more difficult to introduce solid foods to your child. You may observe gaging or coughing when you serve solid foods. This in turn can impact your child’s nutrition and growth.
- Increased bloating – there’s a possibility of excess gas developing because there’s poor tongue coordination as well as abnormal swallowing of air.
- Digestive issues – some types of digestive issues such as reflux can occur when a person has untreated tongue-tie.
- Poor sleep – it’s possible your child might suffer with poor sleep habits and abnormal breathing, such as mouth breathing. It’s possible your child might show signs of fatigue during the day because of poor sleep at night.
- Inadequate dental hygiene – because the movement of the tongue is restricted, the tongue can’t brush over tooth surfaces spreading saliva, both are very important in the oral cleansing process.
- Abnormal jaw and teeth development – with untreated tongue tie, it’s possible for both the jaws and the teeth to develop abnormally, with a child potentially developing a high palate and facial structure that is more narrow than usual.
- Bad speech habits – when tongue tie is left untreated, it can make it difficult to speak. This can be tough to reverse on one’s own, especially as the child gets older. Psychological issues, such as low self esteem, may also develop as they overcompensate for abnormal speech habits.
Tongue tie treatment at the Breathing and Sleep Center
To avoid the possibilities above, contact us at the Colorado Springs Breathing and Sleep Center, to arrange for an initial consultation. Our specialists will diagnose if you or your child actually have the condition, and develop a treatment plan. Call us today, and let us help you!
