Getting your baby to latch on to your breast is not an easy feat. But there are many factors that can play in to this -- one of the problems could have to do with a problem with your infant's tongue known as "tongue tie." Today, Parents Ask expert Adam Friedman explains what this problem means and what you can do to fix it.

Q: My baby is having a hard time with breast feeding and my doctor says it is due to a “tongue tie”.  What does that mean?

A:  Breast feeding is often difficult for new mothers and their infants.  One of the most difficult parts of the process is getting the child to latch onto and continue feeding at the mother’s breast.  One of the most common reasons for this problem is ankyloglossia.  Ankyloglossia, commonly referred to as “tongue tie”, refers to the presence of a persistent membrane between the floor of the mouth and the undersurface of the tongue.  This membrane, which is known as the frenulum, is supposed to recede as the child develops in utero but, on occasion, a fibrous band persists after birth.  The persistent frenulum can prevent the baby from being able to fully protrude its tongue and this, in turn, can make it difficult for the baby to feed successfully. 

Later in life, severe cases of ankyloglossia can cause speech difficulties which mainly manifest in the form of difficulty with proper pronunciation.  Additionally, as the adult teeth begin to grow, a persistently intact frenulum will cause a gap to develop between the two front teeth.  This gap will persist as long as the intact frenulum remains present.

Fortunately, the treatment of ankyloglossia is very simple.  In very young infants, the intact frenulum can be divided in the office, under local anesthesia, while a parent holds the infant in their arms.  In older children, the frenulum is often divided in the operating room under light anesthesia.  The placement of a breathing tube is rarely necessary.  The tissue of the frenulum is essentially avascular, bloodless scar tissue and there are virtually never complications associated with the procedure.
In most cases, the child’s ability to breastfeed improves immediately following the division of the intact frenulum and the process of feeding is much, much easier for both mother and child.  Further, dealing with ankyloglossia at a very young age completely prevents the development of speech difficulties or dental problems at a later age.