As you may remember, we had a Caleb's tongue clipped at the pediatrician's office a few weeks ago. Well after a few days I realized that it still needed to be cut more which we knew might happen but were hopeing not to have to go that route. Well it took four weeks to get into an ENT here in Lubbock but that visit finally came a little over a week ago. It took so long to get in, that I was really excited when we finally got to see the doctor. The ENT on the other hand was not so excited to see us. He was not intersted in our problems and just said "it not worth the risk" to get it done. Even when I pushed him he just kept saying he didn't believe in clipping tongues (a belief that is outdated). I had research in my bag indicating the clear benefit in clipping the tounge to help infants nurse better and it all clearly says there is virtually no risk and the benefits are substantial for maternal pain. This doctor was just not having it. He had made up his mind that he was not going to the procedure even before he walked in the exam room.
That sent me into more research again. I tried to relax and just try and wait it out but something kept making me feel that I need to pursue this more. We looked in to dentists here in town but none had experience with babies and the only Dr. in town that would do the procedure was a plastic surgeon that everyone didn't recommend due to poor surgery skills.
Anyways after some consideration we decided to seek a consult by a pediatric ENT and would have to travel to Dallas to find one. I knew of several ENT's there, but I wanted one that specialized in oral surgery rather than ear surgery. I called our ENT of choice and got in right away. (no 6 week delay). When we got there the Dr. was very responsive and listened to what I had to say. He said that based on symptoms Caleb appeared to be tongue tied. He went to look at Caleb's tongue and said instantly, that Caleb was obviously tongue tied and could see it without any further evaluation. He then offered to clip the tongue in the office!!!
The ENT in Lubbock was not willing to cut Caleb's tongue in the office and said that he needed anastheisia which is why he didn't want to do. This pediatric ENT though does frenulectomy (tongue clipping) every day so it was no problem for him to do it right there. The nurse came in and knew exactly where I should hold him and position him. The doctor grabbed a simple spatual to lift the tongue and within seconds he had cut the small peice of tissue. He asked me to nurse and that he would come back in a few minutes.
Just as simple as that, we were no longer a tongue tied baby. While a tongue tie is not life or death it does cause lots of problems (brestfeeding, eating chunky foods, eating lolly pops and ice cream cones, speech, and french kissing) and now we don't have to worry. There is still a chance that as the cut heals it can close up and tighten again, but the cut this time was all the way to the base so we shouldn't need to cut it again.
Below are two picture. One of before and one after. You can see the white band in the first and how it is cut in the second.
