Could tongue-tie be making breastfeeding painful?
This little-known condition can make nursing difficult for both mother and baby, but experts say it's often treatable.
Breastfeeding may present sharp and painful experiences for new mothers, sometimes causing them to question their own abilities. Iman Nadzirah Sulaiman, for instance, was initially baffled by her ordeal, convinced that her inexperience was to blame. It wasn't until a medical examination revealed the true cause – tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia – that she understood the root of her distress.
Tongue-tie is a condition that restricts the tongue's movement, preventing infants from latching deeply during feeding. This leads to ineffective nursing and discomfort for mothers, who may experience sore nipples or, in extreme cases, mastitis – inflammation of breast tissue. Consultant paediatrician and neonatologist Dr Chan Pei Sing confirms that around 4% to 10% of newborns are born with tongue-tie, a condition that arises when the band connecting the tongue's underside to the floor of the mouth is abnormally short, thick, or tight.
While it is more prevalent in boys than girls and may run in families, the exact cause remains unknown. Tongue-tie does not stem from a mother's diet or prenatal care. Despite the challenges, surgery is not always necessary, as the tissue may naturally lengthen with a child's growth. However, when required, a tongue-tie release is typically a simple procedure carried out in infancy by paediatricians or ear, nose, and throat specialists.
Older children and adults may still opt for the procedure if it significantly impacts their daily lives, though further assessment is necessary. Dr Chan cautions against assuming that tongue-tie inevitably results in speech problems. Most release procedures are performed during infancy to enhance breastfeeding, but the surgery does not guarantee that a child will not develop speech problems later in life.
Additionally, children who do not undergo the procedure may still exhibit speech difficulties, as tongue-tie is just one of several factors influencing speech development.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
