How to Diagnose Ankyloglossia

Ankyloglossia is a congenital deformity of the tongue commonly known as tongue tie. It does not have a uniform definition and this has resulted in different reported incidence rates ranging from one in 20 to one in 500 live births. The following steps will show you how to diagnose ankyloglossia.

Instructions

• 1

  Observe feeding problems in infants. The first observed symptoms of ankyloglossia are frequently a difficulty in sucking, poor weight gain and painful nursing. A pediatrician who suspects ankyloglossia will refer the patient to an otolaryngologist for the diagnosis.

• 2

  Check for speech impediments. Children at the age of three may have difficulty pronouncing the following sounds: d, l, n, r, s, sh, t, th and z. Most of a three-year-old child's speech should be understandable to non-family members.

• 3

  Examine the lingual frenulum, the membrane that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If the tongue is passively elevated with a tongue depressor, the frenulum will appear to be unusually short and thick.

• 4

  Identify mild cases of ankyloglossia by mucous membranes along the frenulum with severe ankyloglossia characterized by the tongue actually being tethered to the mouth's floor. The tongue tip may also have a V-shaped notch.

• 5

  Explore the maximum range of movement allowed by the genioglossus muscles in children able to follow instructions. Patients with ankyloglossia may be unable to stick the tongue out past the gums or touch the roof of the mouth. They also may have trouble moving the tongue from side to side.