Ankyloglossia, exclusive breastfeeding, and failure to thrive

Pediatrics. 2010 Jun;125(6):e1500-4. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-2101. Epub 2010 May 24.

Abstract

A 6-month-old term boy was hospitalized to evaluate the cause of his failure to thrive, mandated as part of an investigation by the Department of Children and Families after an allegation of medical neglect was made. On admission the patient was below birth weight, and a medical workup for failure to thrive was pursued; however, he was noted to have severe ankyloglossia and was an exclusively breastfed infant. The only interventions during his hospitalization were frenotomy and assistance to the mother to increase her milk supply. The infant immediately experienced weight gain and has continued to show slow, but steady, weight gain as an outpatient. We illustrate here many of the controversies concerning ankyloglossia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Breast Feeding / psychology
  • Child Abuse / diagnosis
  • Failure to Thrive / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lingual Frenum / abnormalities*
  • Lingual Frenum / surgery
  • Male
  • Tongue Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Tongue Diseases / etiology
  • Weight Gain