tongue-tie and reflux

[Guest guest]

Leigh Anne,

Larry Kotlow has an article on areophagia (air swallowing) on his site, kiddsteeth.com. (it was in CLinical Lactation journal) So his theory is that the unusual tongue movements of a tongue-tied baby cause an intake of air, clicking and lack of normal posterior tongue lowering forming that little "well" for milk to collect before swallow due to tongue humping/bunching interferes with usual peristalsis. Betty Corrylos gave me an article written by a Japanese doctor on the correlation of peristalsis being abnormal in the tongue affects continuing peristalsis throughout the GI system, and I always explain this to moms, as well as the air intake that occurs. Will send the reference on this once I find it.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC

Hello Wise Ones,

Can someone direct me to the research or explanation of why babies who are tongue-tied spit up more frequently than a typical baby?

[Guest guest]

Leigh Anne,

On the reference/bib in Betty's article in the AAP newsletter, the authors of the articles re peristalsis effects of TT are Mukai and Lalakea, two different articles and I tend to think it's Mukai who addressed peristalsis. I can't find my articles from Betty just now and have tons of paperwork to catch up on.

Good luck with your exam and I feel your frustration with clients. I always send 3 articles on TT to parents and these are, Betty's article from AAP newsletter, Geddes with ultrasound and Genna's from Leaven. I have others but find these with photos are helpful. Also Genna's site has such a wonderful explanation with photos of assessing TT that I use that, as well.

Hang in there!

Warmly, Barbara