Tongue Tie
Tongue tie is a minor birth defect of the mouth that decreases the mobility of the tongue. Normally, the frenulum (a band of tissue beneath the tongue) gradually stretches with no problem. In some cases, however, the frenulum is “tied” to the floor of the mouth causing difficulty feeding and eventually talking.
Signs and Symptoms
- Difficulty latching and breastfeeding
- Difficulty swallowing
- Gaps or spaces between front bottom teeth
- Problems making certain sounds
- Trouble sticking out the tongue
- Weight loss
When to See a Specialist
- Treatment is needed immediately if a child has a particularly tight frenulum at birth and has difficulty feeding.
- If there are no feeding problems but the frenulum does not stretch by the time your child is 10 to 12 months old, treatment is usually recommended to avoid speech problems.
In these cases, your child’s physician might request a frenuloplasty, a very quick and painless surgical treatment to separate the frenulum.
Meet Our Pediatric Tongue Tie Specialists
Thomas Andrews, MD
ENT/Otolaryngology
Dr. Andrews is a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He sees patients in the Brandon, Clearwater, Odessa, Sarasota, and Tampa locations of Pediatric Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Associates, PA and the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care location in St. Petersburg.
Peter Karempelis, MD
ENT/Otolaryngology
Dr. Karempelis is a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He sees patients in the Brandon, Clearwater, Odessa, Sarasota, and Tampa locations of Pediatric Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Associates, PA and the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care location in St. Petersburg.
Rose Trowbridge, MD
ENT/Otolaryngology
Dr. Trowbridge is a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She sees patients in the Brandon, Clearwater, Odessa, Sarasota, and Tampa locations of Pediatric Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Associates, PA and the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care location in St. Petersburg.
Kathleen Wasylik, MD
ENT/Otolaryngology
Dr. Wasylik is a pediatric ear, nose and throat surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She sees patients in the Brandon, Clearwater, Odessa, Sarasota, and Tampa locations of Pediatric Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Associates, PA and the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care location in St. Petersburg.
Tampa Bay Area Locations
Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists provide surgery and services at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and its Outpatient Care Center in St. Petersburg. Find a specialist at one of these locations:
PHONE: 727-329-5400 FAX: 727-329-5401
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care St. Petersburg
601 5th Street South, Suite C740
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Brandon Office
10080 Balaye Run Drive
Tampa, FL 33619
Clearwater Office
1700 McMullen Booth Road, Suite B1
Clearwater, FL 33759
Odessa Office
14111 State Road 54
Odessa, FL 33556
Sarasota Office
5911 North Honore Avenue, Suite 116
Sarasota, FL 34243
Tampa Office
4726 North Habana Avenue, Suite 204
Tampa, FL 33614