What does the world think of ankyloglossia?

Jin RR 1 , Sutcliffe A 2 , Vento M 3 , Miles C 4 , Travadi J 5 , Kishore K 6 Show all authors , Suzuki K 7 , Todd D 8 , Wooderson S 5 , Kamar AA 9 , Ma L 10 , Smyth J 1 , Oei JL 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  • 2 PPP Theme, UCL and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
  • 3 Division of Neonatology, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
  • 4 Clinical Midwifery Consultant for Lactation Services, Royal Hospital for women, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  • 5 Department of Neonatology, John Hunter Children's Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  • 6 Cloudnine Hospitals, Bangalore, India
  • 7 Department of Pediatrics, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
  • 8 Department of Neonatology, Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT, Australia
  • 9 Department of Neonatology, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 10 Department of Paediatrics, Shijiazhuang Children's Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
Acta Paediatr, 2018 10;107(10):1733-1738.
PMID: 29385272 DOI: 10.1111/apa.14242

Abstract

AIM: The diagnosis of tongue-tie (or ankyloglossia) has increased more than 10-fold in some countries. Whether this is a global phenomenon or related to cultural and professional differences is uncertain.

METHODS: An online survey in English, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish was disseminated between May and November 2016 via 27 international professional bodies to >30 clinical professions chosen a priori to represent occupations involved in the management of neonatal ankyloglossia.

RESULTS: A total of 1721 responses came from nursing (51%), medical (40%), dental (6%) and allied health (4%) clinicians. Nurses (40%) and allied health (34%) professionals were more likely than doctors (8%) to consider ankyloglossia as important for lactation problems, as were western (83%) compared to Asian (52%) clinicians. Referrals to clinicians for ankyloglossia management originated mainly from parents (38%). Interprofessional referrals were not clearly defined. Frenectomies were most likely to be performed by surgeons (65%) and dentists (35%), who were also less likely to be involved in lactation support. Clinicians performing frenectomies were more likely to consider analgesia as important compared to those not performing frenectomies.

CONCLUSION: The diagnosis and treatment of ankyloglossia vary considerably around the world and between professions. Efforts to standardise management are required.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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