Signs of Tethering in a 1-Year-Old Baby

Tethered Babies and Nursing

• Often, tethering is diagnosed quickly because a child is unable to nurse properly. Breast feeding requires the use of the infant's tongue to suck. An infant with a tethered tongue has trouble doing this, and the hardship is visible to the mother. Though she may not know the exact problem, she sees the child is not getting fed properly and takes him to a pediatrician before any permanent harm. If she is aware of tethering, she sees for herself by pushing the infant's tongue up and looking underneath.

Tethering in Older Babies

• A severe case of tethering does not allow an infant to properly nurse; however, older babies have cases of tethering, too. At the age of 1, a baby is making a lot of progress and doing a lot of firsts. Babies love to imitate the things their parents do, including sticking out their tongues. It is an excellent idea to check the child for tethering by coaxing her to stick out her tongue. If she is tethered, she is not able to stick her tongue out as far as other children. You may even see the frenum come between the two front teeth on the bottom. If the baby's tongue looks like a heart at the end when she sticks it out, it is likely she is tethered.

Tethering in Children

• Tethering comes in different levels of severity. Some babies may have some degree of tethering, but it does not create a problem until they are trying to learn to speak. A child is encouraged to make certain words, but they just don't come out right. The child may like an ice cream cone, but throws it away or gives it back to his parents half way through because it is hurting his tongue. See a pediatrician or dentist before his speech becomes too affected.

The Solution to Tethering

• The only solution for tethering is removing the frenum. The procedure, called a frenectomy, is usually done during an office visit by a pediatrician or a dentist. The child is given a mild sedative. A topical gel anesthetic is then applied to the offending frenum. Once the tissue is numb from the topical, an injection of another anesthetic, usually lidocaine or carbocaine, is given directly into the frenum. Once anesthetized, the frenum is removed or separated from the floor of the mouth with a scalpel. Resorbable sutures close the incision. Usually, the initial sedative is enough to keep the child from trying to thrash. In some cases, however, the physician or dentist must perform IV sedation. The child is aware she's being treated but is too relaxed to thrash. After the sedative wears off, she has no memory of the procedure. The area heals in approximately a week to 10 days, and the results are immediate.