How Tongue-Tie Impacts Your Child’s Speech Development
Tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, is a condition that many parents might not even know exists, but it can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to speak clearly. When a child has tongue-tie, the frenulum—the tissue under the tongue—is too tight, thick, or short, which restricts the tongue’s movement. This can cause difficulties with speech sounds and clarity, making it harder for a child to form certain words or sounds.
As parents, it's important to be aware of the potential link between tongue-tie and speech development. Let’s dive deeper into how tongue-tie affects speech, what signs to look out for, and the treatment options available.
What Is Tongue-Tie and How Does It Impact Speech?
Tongue-tie happens when the frenulum restricts the tongue’s range of motion. Since the tongue plays a huge role in making speech sounds, a limited range of movement can lead to difficulties producing clear speech. When a child is unable to move their tongue freely, it can interfere with their ability to pronounce certain sounds clearly, especially sounds that require the tongue to touch the roof of the mouth or teeth, such as:
"L"
"T"
"D"
"R"
"S"
"Th"
For example, a child with tongue-tie may have difficulty pronouncing the word “sun” as “tun,” or struggle with making the “r” sound. They might even use the wrong part of their mouth to make sounds—like substituting the tongue for the teeth—which can impact their speech intelligibility.
Signs That Your Child May Have Tongue-Tie and Speech Difficulties
It can be tricky to tell if tongue-tie is affecting your child’s speech development. However, there are a few signs to watch for that may indicate a potential issue:
Difficulty pronouncing specific sounds: If your child struggles with “r,” “l,” “s,” or “th” sounds, it might be worth investigating if tongue-tie is the cause.
Imprecise speech: Even if your child’s speech sounds clear, you might notice that their speech is harder to understand than it should be for their age.
Limited tongue movement: A simple test you can do at home is to see how far your child can move their tongue. Can they stick it out past their lower lip? Can they move it side to side? If not, it could be a sign of a tongue-tie.
Speech delays or developmental concerns: If your child has difficulty with speech sound production or is significantly delayed in speech development, tongue-tie may be a factor to consider.
How Tongue-Tie Affects Speech Development
In younger children, a tongue-tie can prevent them from mastering key speech milestones, such as saying clear words and forming sentences. As they get older, a tight frenulum can continue to interfere with their ability to pronounce words correctly. This can lead to speech delays, frustration, and social difficulties, as children may struggle to be understood by peers, teachers, or caregivers.
Speech is often one of the first signs that a child is dealing with the effects of tongue-tie. It’s important to address these issues early to avoid lasting challenges with communication.
What to Do If You Suspect Tongue-Tie Is Affecting Your Child’s Speech
If you notice that your child is struggling with speech clarity or pronunciation, the first step is to schedule a consultation with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who specializes in myofunctional therapy. An SLP can assess your child’s tongue movement, speech patterns, and overall oral function.
In some cases, if a tongue-tie is diagnosed, your child may benefit from myofunctional therapy. This type of therapy focuses on strengthening the muscles of the mouth and tongue to help improve speech, chewing, and swallowing. The goal is to help children use their tongue effectively to produce the proper sounds and improve overall speech clarity.
Treatment for Tongue-Tie and Speech Challenges
In addition to therapy, some children may require a frenectomy or frenotomy—a simple procedure to release the tight frenulum. This minor procedure is usually quick and easy, and can provide immediate relief for children with severe tongue-tie. Afterward, speech therapy or myofunctional therapy can help retrain the tongue and ensure better speech patterns are formed.
When to Seek Professional Help
If your child has been in speech therapy for a while but is making slow or minimal progress, it may be time to consider a myofunctional therapy assessment. Sometimes, speech challenges are the result of a structural issue, such as a tongue-tie, that can’t be fully addressed through traditional speech therapy alone. In these cases, myofunctional therapy can help target the root cause of the issue and provide a more comprehensive approach to improving speech development.
Treatment Options for Tongue-Tie
If your child is diagnosed with tongue-tie, there are a few options to consider:
Therapy: Many speech therapists specialize in myofunctional therapy to help improve tongue movement and speech sound production.
Frenectomy: In more severe cases, a frenectomy—a simple procedure to release the frenulum—may be recommended.
Follow-Up Therapy: Post-procedure therapy helps to retrain the tongue and ensure improved speech patterns are developed.
Tongue-Tie Doesn’t Have to Hold Back Your Child’s Speech Development
While tongue-tie can create challenges, the good news is that with early intervention and the right therapy, most children can overcome speech difficulties and develop clear communication skills. If you suspect tongue-tie is impacting your child’s ability to speak or if speech progress has been slower than expected, I’m here to help.
By working together, we can address the root cause and give your child the tools they need to communicate confidently and effectively.
