Monday 25 March 2013

Tongue Tied


My poor little five month old grandson, Phynn, is, as I write, up in London having a little operation.

Over the months, Phynn has had a problem with feeding. Consequently he hasn't put on as much weight as other babies his age. Not that he looks undernourished, and he's doing all the things he should be.

Being petit, with his huge inquisitive eyes and his half I-don't-know-whether-to-smile-at-you-or-not grin, he's like a mischievous pixie, especially when he has on his green pixie hat and red booties that curl up at the ends (so cute!). But his mummy, Kat, who's persevered with breast feeding, felt there was something not quite right. Mummy instinct. She suspected he had a tongue-tie, a real and troublesome problem, not just a euphemism for being too shy to speak. The NHS site describes it as 'a tight piece of skin connecting the underside of the tongue and the floor of (the baby's) mouth.'

Kat mentioned it several times to various health professionals, who seemed to have little knowledge of it, or just dismissed her worries.

Finally, a paediatrician took her suggestion seriously and did a little investigation  - not easy when all a baby that age wants to do is suck everything that goes into his mouth! Sure enough, Phynn had a little tongue-tie, the least serious of the three types.

Kat and I wondered how many mothers have given up breast feeding through a perceived failure, when maybe their babies simply couldn't suck properly due to this easily remedied problem.

Just recently, with diet changes (meat and an increase in dairy), more rest for Kat (usually a whirling dervish), and feeding Phynn expressed milk on a little wooden spoon, he has started to put more weight on. Hopefully his little 'snip' (no anaesthetic involved, just a brief 'ouch!') will make feeding a little easier for him.

PS Just had a phone call from Peter. It's all done and Phynn is quite content, so no big trauma, thank goodness.






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