Sep 27, 2011 11:54 AM
Tongue-tie is also called Ankyloglossia.
Ankyloglossia can be classified as grade I, II, III and in extreme cases as grade IV.
The speech production and quality for different sounds we make depends upon the normal anatomical and physiological functions of the Central Nervous System, Larynx (voice box) and upper Aero-digestive Tract.
Lips
Teeth
Tongue
Palate
Pharynx
Normal function of the nose
Nasopharynx
Tongue
The tongue plays a major role in the production of different sounds we make. For example, each sound we make the tongue moves around in the oral cavity to produce an appropriate sound for that given occasion, under the command of central nervous system (speech center).
Mobility of the tongue (glosso)
The mobility of the tongue (glosso) and the different sounds can be classified as:
Glosso-labial :lips
Glosso-dental :teeth
Glosso-palatel :roof of mouth
Glosso-pharyngeal :throat
Glosso-uvulo-rhino :uvula and nose
Any nasal obstruction
Nasopharynx ( Obstructive Adenoids)
A glosso pharyngeal
B glosso labial
C glosso dential
D glosso palatal
M glosso uvula-rhino
Examples:
Try to say M by pinching the nose. It wont sound like M.
Try to say D by holding the tongue down. It wont sound like D.
Examples of words that will not sound right with tongue-tie:
C: cat, cow, common, command, etc.
D: dad, drum, dead, deed, dance, Dracula, dumb, etc
L: lad, lady, light, ladder, laughter, etc
N: no, note, null, night, name, nintendo, goodnight, etc
T: to, tom, tic, that, this, though, thought, etc
There are many words and sentences wont sound normal with tongue-tie.
Treatment
Treatment is simple and very effective clipping of the tongue or frenuloplasty. Children are done under general anesthesia. Frenuloplasty in adults are done under local xylocaine injection in the office.
In addition to clear production of sounds by the tongue, the tongue is also considered as a secondary social organ. This function is restricted or not possible with tongue-tie.
THE FLEXIBLE TONGUE
God created the tongue without bones for a purpose, unrestricted
mobility and flexibility.
Freedom to produce sounds, sounds to make you laugh or sounds to make
you cry or crazy.
A twist of the tongue can make peace or war, Make Friendship or Fighting.
O My lord please do not tie me down (tongue tie)
So I can easily flex my muscles to bring peace, prosperity, pleasure,
happiness and friendship
O God without flexing my muscles, swallowing is hard. You know I function better without bones or tongue-tie.
O the almighty I promise you that I will tone down the tone of my sound
While flexing my tongue to prevent the opposites of peace, prosperity, pleasure, happiness , friendship and family breakup
O Lord thank you for that freedom and I promise I will flex my tongue
for the betterment of humanity.
C.K Hiranya Gowda, M.D
