We exist to help kids thrive.

A message from Dr. Baxter

Although education related to the topic of tongue-ties is improving, the impact of such a restriction is often excused or even ignored. With feeding difficulties, for instance, it might be said that the child is “easily distractible” or “a picky eater.” With breastfeeding difficulties, the mother might be told, “It is supposed to hurt for six weeks,” “All babies are gassy and fussy or spit up,” or “Your baby is just a lazy nurser.” Such advice is often well-intentioned and meant to be encouraging, but it ignores the problem or fails to even recognize that there is a problem.

On both a personal and professional level, my life has been deeply impacted by tongue-ties. I had a tongue-tie that went undiagnosed into adulthood and all three of my daughters had tongue-ties. In fact, some researchers estimate the prevalence of tongue-tie to be between 4% and 10% of the population, but the actual number may be higher because most studies don’t take into account posterior tongue-tie, which is a more difficult diagnosis. The real number of babies or children that are affected by tongue-tie is likely closer to 1 in 4.

A tongue-tie can be the hidden reason behind nursing difficulties in babies, feeding problems in toddlers, speech issues in children, and even headaches or neck pain in adults. Are tongue-ties the cause of all the world’s ills? No. But they are too often overlooked, misdiagnosed, and written off by many healthcare providers. That’s why my team and I do this work. We hope it serves you as well as we intend it to.