Tongue-tie

[Chick]

Hi everyone,
My 4yr old is tongue-tied and about 70% of what is said is unintelligable. I would like to take her to be assessed but my husband feels that she is okay. He is also tongue-tied, his speech is fine. Hers is more severe. She has started preschool and I feel that she will get teased once she starts school. I have been doing speech exercises, singing and helping her to slow down and annunciate more clearly. This leads to her frustration and she storms off. I'm at a loss how to help her. Any ideas would be greatful.

[Lorina]

Hey Chick,

I don’t have any experience with “tongue tie” but I did do some research about it for you… There are a couple options you have… The first one is to take your daughter to see a speech pathologist. They will typically assess your child’s speech and work with both of you on how to help improve speech or there is a surgical option… With surgery it involves snipping the frenum (the skin under the tongue) which I think causes the tongue tie. Although I don’t know what are the implications or how it will benefit your daughter… If you're interested you should probably go and see a pediatrician to see if this could be an option for your daughter.

Cheers ,
L.A

[catchmeifucan]

I have been doing speech exercises, singing and helping her to slow down and annunciate more clearly.

what you are doing is right. Doing speech exercises can help but it can make her anxious as well sometimes. So it is hard to balance it so she doesnt get too anxious about it as well. Did you have her checked and evaluated in a speech and language clinic ??

Since she is 4 and you are saying 70% of what is said is unintelligible, you can have a check and see how she goes.. In a lot of cases a surgery will not be needed and I don't think the Speech pathologists will consider this to be serious neither. But there is no harm in getting a professional opinion if you are a little concerned.