Tongue-Tie Over-Diagnosis: New AAP Report Raises Concerns

Surge in Tongue-Tie Diagnoses and Treatments

A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has highlighted a potential issue of over-diagnosis in cases of tongue-tie, also known as ankyloglossia. According to an article by Yi-Jin Yu on ABC News, the number of tongue-tie diagnoses and subsequent treatments has seen a dramatic increase, rising from under 5,000 cases in 1997 to 70,000 cases in 2016.

Understanding Tongue-Tie

Tongue-tie is a condition where the lingual frenulum, a membrane fold near the tongue, affects the tongue’s movement and function. This can lead to difficulties in breastfeeding, including problems with latching and pain for nursing mothers.

Tongue-Tie Procedures in Infants: A Growing Concern Among Health Professionals

Concerns Over Diagnosis and Treatment

The AAP report, as detailed in the ABC News article, expresses concern over the lack of standardized criteria for diagnosing and treating tongue-tie. Dr. Maya Bunik, chair of the AAP section on breastfeeding, suggests that the surge in diagnoses may be partly driven by healthcare providers and social media awareness.

Dr. Bunik notes, “I suspect that social media in the last 10 years, along with the dental profession, having laser use be more ubiquitous in practices has really made this sort of an explosion.”

Treatment Options and Considerations

The article discusses frenotomy, a surgical procedure involving the cutting of the lingual frenulum, as a common treatment for tongue-tie. However, experts disagree on the benefits of such treatments for improving breastfeeding or other potential issues like speech articulation or sleep apnea prevention.

Advice for Parents

Dr. Bunik advises parents to seek multiple opinions and consider non-surgical options. She states, “What we’ve come to learn is that even though it may be diagnosed, about 50% of them don’t actually need to be treated, either cut with scissors or have laser done.”

The ABC News article emphasizes the importance of holistic support for breastfeeding parents, with Dr. Bunik concluding, “We should probably be supporting mom and baby pairs and breastfeeding parents holistically, rather than jumping to a quick fix that may not be the fix.”