Tongue-tied

Jared* is a growing little boy whom I delivered 2 l/2 years ago. His mother
made the appointment today because of a rash which she wanted diagnosed. After we took care of the simple problem of eczema and prescribed over-the-counter cortisone cream, what the mother really wanted to know was why he was having trouble with his speech.

When I had taken care of him in the nursery after his delivery I noticed that he was slightly tongue-tied. In retrospect, I wish that I would have clipped his frenulum then because today when I examined his tongue it was tongue-tied even more. This was making it difficult for him to say many of his consonants properly.

What can be quite a simple thing to do in a newborn baby is quite difficult with a struggling strong 2 l/2-year-old but with the help of mother and two office nurses I was able to make this simple cut of his frenulum membrane with a small scissors. With some practice, he will be able to talk just fine now.