Tongue Ties in Babies: Why a Whole-Body Approach Matters for Rockwall and East Dallas, TX Babies

Dr. Mama Bird assesses tongue function for infant feeding mechanics.

If you’ve spent any time in mom groups or talking with different providers, you’ve probably noticed how divided the conversation around tongue ties in babies can be.

Some providers will tell you tongue ties are overdiagnosed — even a “fad” that parents are being talked into. Others will suggest nearly every baby has a tie and needs an immediate laser release.

The truth?

It’s not that simple.

After more than seven years working with infants and families — and as a mother of three children with oral ties myself — I’ve seen firsthand that both extremes miss something important.

Tongue ties are real.

But they are rarely just a mouth issue.

What a Tongue Tie Actually Is

A tongue tie, clinically referred to as tethered oral tissue (TOTs), occurs when the small band of tissue under the tongue, lip, or cheek restricts normal movement.

That restriction can affect how a baby:

• Latches

• Feeds and swallows

• Coordinates breathing

• Moves their head and neck

• Develops oral and facial structure

  
  

Early signs of tongue tie in infants may include:

• Difficulty latching or staying latched

• Painful or shallow latch during breastfeeding

• Clicking, leaking, or gagging while feeding

• Long or exhausting feeds

• Poor milk transfer or slow weight gain

• Reflux, gas, or excessive fussiness

• Tension through the jaw, neck, or shoulders

  
  

Why Feeding Matters More Than Most Parents Realize

Feeding — especially breastfeeding — is not only about nutrition.

It plays a critical role in shaping your baby’s face, airway, and nervous system development.

When a baby feeds effectively at the breast, the tongue performs a wide, coordinated movement that helps:

• Expand the palate

• Shape the upper jaw

• Support nasal breathing

• Develop the airway

• Create space for incoming teeth

When oral restrictions limit that motion, babies may compensate by using abnormal muscles and patterns.

Over time, this can contribute to:

• Narrow or high palates

• Airway restriction

• Mouth breathing

• Sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea (resulting in ADHD-like behavior)

• Early orthodontic needs

• Chronic tension in the neck and shoulders

These changes don’t happen overnight — they develop slowly as the body adapts around restriction.

Tongue Ties Affect More Than the Mouth

Oral restrictions do not stop at the face.

The tongue connects neurologically and fascially to the neck, diaphragm, and core. When movement is restricted, babies often compensate throughout the entire body.

This may impact:

• Head control

• Rolling and crawling patterns

• Trunk stability

• Coordination and balance

• Posture development

Many babies do “get through” early milestones — but often by compensating.

Those compensations can follow children into adolescence and adulthood as:

• Poor posture

• Functional movement dysfunction

• Chronic neck and back tension

• Tight hamstrings

• Frequent athletic injuries

• Difficulty activating deep core stability

  
  

I see this every day in practice — often retraining adults how to perform the very same movement patterns that should have developed naturally in infancy.

Structural vs Functional Tongue Ties

This is where much of the confusion exists.

There are two primary contributors to tongue tie symptoms:

1. Structural restriction

This involves excess or tight tissue physically limiting tongue movement.

2. Functional or neuro-biomechanical restriction

This occurs when the nervous system, cranial bones, neck, and spine are restricted, preventing proper coordination — even when the tissue itself appears mild.

Many babies have both.

When nervous system tension is present, the tongue may behave as if it is tied — even if the tissue is not the sole problem.

This explains why some babies:

• Continue to struggle after a release

• Need multiple revisions

• Experience worsening symptoms post-procedure

The tissue was addressed — but the system was not.

What Is a Neuro-Biomechanical Tongue Tie?

A neuro-biomechanical tongue tie occurs when the nerves (“neuro”) and movement patterns (“biomechanics”) are not communicating effectively.

This often stems from:

• In-utero positioning

• Birth stress or trauma

• Assisted deliveries

• Prolonged labor

• Cesarean birth

These stresses can create restriction in the cranial bones, upper cervical spine, and dura — directly affecting the cranial nerves responsible for feeding, swallowing, and breathing.

When nerve communication is compromised, function cannot normalize — regardless of how much tissue is released.

Why Chiropractic and Cranial Work Come First

No surgical or laser procedure can restore nervous system communication on its own.

At Dr. Mama Bird Chiropractic, we take a conservative, function-first approach using gentle infant chiropractic care and cranial work to:

• Reduce tension patterns

• Restore motion to the cranial system

• Improve nerve communication

• Support whole-body coordination

  
  

When this step comes first:

✅ Many babies improve enough that a release is no longer necessary

✅ If a release is needed, outcomes are smoother and more complete

✅ Feeding therapy and exercises are far more effective

This approach respects the body’s design rather than forcing change before the system is ready.

A Balanced Approach — Not Dismissive, Not Reactive

We do not ignore tongue ties — and we do not rush into procedures.

Instead, we collaborate closely with:

• Lactation Consultants like IBCLCs

• Pediatric dentists trained in tethered oral tissues

• Other pediatric providers

Together, we create individualized care plans that address function, structure, and nervous system regulation.

Some babies thrive with conservative care alone. Others truly benefit from a release. The key is understanding which baby needs what — and that requires looking at the whole child, not just the frenulum.

Why “Wait and See” Isn’t Enough

It’s understandable to hope your baby will simply grow out of their symptoms — and sometimes, on the surface, it can appear that they do.

But while certain signs may improve with time, the underlying stress pattern often does not.

Many of the challenges associated with tongue tie in babies are not isolated feeding issues or structural concerns alone. They are frequently expressions of something deeper: nervous system dysfunction.

Oral ties — particularly neurobiomechanical tongue ties — are often a sign of nervous system dysregulation rather than the primary cause itself.

The restriction seen in the mouth may reflect altered neurological communication between the brainstem, cranial nerves, and body, rather than tissue alone.

This is why some babies appear to “outgrow” early symptoms such as breastfeeding difficulties, reflux, or tension — yet later develop new challenges as they grow.

With a “wait and see” approach, visible symptoms may fade, but the underlying neurological stress often remains, continuing to influence development beneath the surface.

Over time, this unresolved stress may contribute to what many families experience as the perfect storm, including:

• Sleep disturbances and airway dysfunction

• Mouth breathing or chronic congestion

• Asthma and recurrent allergies

• Attention or focus challenges

• Emotional regulation difficulties

• Learning differences

• Postural imbalance and movement dysfunction

These patterns are rarely caused by one issue alone. Instead, they often reflect long-standing compensation within a developing nervous system.

In this context, tongue ties are not the disease — they are a visible indicator of nervous system imbalance.

This is why early assessment and gentle infant chiropractic care focused on nervous system regulation can be so impactful. By addressing tension patterns early — before compensation becomes ingrained — we support healthier feeding, movement, airway development, and long-term function.

Every Baby Deserves Thoughtful Care

You don’t have to choose between doing nothing and rushing into surgery.

There is a middle ground — one rooted in understanding the nervous system, honoring development, and supporting the body before intervention.

Tongue ties are real.

But they are rarely simple.

And your baby deserves care that reflects that complexity.

— Dr. Alex Pankoke

Dr. Mama Bird Chiropractic

Serving Sunnyvale, Rockwall, Forney & surrounding communities