Is tongue tie at all hereditary?

(15 Posts)
EasyCompadre Mon 14-Apr-14 07:43:07

Morning all,
I couldn't find much useful information about this during my 38 weeks pregnant insomnia induced googling session in the wee hours, which suggests it's possibly a silly question, but does anyone know if tongue tie is/can be passed down in the genes?

The reason I ask is because DP has a fairly obvious tongue tie that has never been corrected, and I'm wondering if I need to be more on the ball about getting the baby looked at properly immediately after birth in order to achieve the best start to breastfeeding? We are hoping for a home birth, so I'd like to get everything in place beforehand so we know what to do if it's suspected that baby does have a tongue tie.

NickyEds Mon 14-Apr-14 08:06:27

Yes, I think it does run in families. My dp has an uncorrected Tt and ds was born Tt. If I were you I'd aim to get any Tt diagnosed and snipped ASAP!! We had ds's snipped when he was 17 days old and bf was a nightmare- just feeding and feeding but never getting enough- no weight gain and green poos! He's mixed fed now and I really do put it down- certainly in part-to the tt issues. Also, dp had to have speech therapy as a child, probably due to his. It's a really simple procedure and only takes 10 second when they're tiny(it's much harder when they're older).
I wish I'd been more organised and informed when ds was born!-I just let the mw's say "lets wait and see" through days of crying and agonising bf. Next time if baby has tt it will be snipped on day 1!!-if you can afford it get details of how to get it done privately, just in case.

Beanymonster Mon 14-Apr-14 08:06:45

I would always push for any professional to double check for tongue tie, my daughter couldn't feed due to it, and in the end gave up breast feeding because she was rapidly losing weight, at day 5 we were told she had tongue tie...... Push push push, and if it's not there then it's all okay!

stargirl1701 Mon 14-Apr-14 08:09:47

An HCP told me there was a study being run in Australia looking at link between folic acid and increased risk of tt. They are looking at folate as a replacement.

KittyandTeal Mon 14-Apr-14 08:12:18

I'm not sure but my DH had a tongue tie and my DD also does. She didn't need to have hers corrected.

It was a few months after the MW telling us she had a tongue tie that I put 2 and 2 together!

AnythingNotEverything Mon 14-Apr-14 08:19:11

We were worried about this as we're pretty sure DH is tongue tied. The NCT bf counsellor said we would be at increased risk, particularly as DS (not DH's DS) struggled to feed.

We did lots of research before birth, saved the diagnostic pics available online on my iphone, found recommended local private consultants etc etc.

DD isn't tongue tied after all. Glad I was prepared though!

CbeebiesIsAboutToPop Mon 14-Apr-14 08:32:43

It's definitely worth getting checked out, dd1 had tounge tie, when the midwife told me just after she was born I had no idea what that meant I'd never even heard of it!

With dd2 I asked them to check and they said she was fine, turns out she has lip tie. It's affected both girls and neither have ever been sorted (despite me fighting for it angry)

Ds1 is due in just a few weeks and I'm going to a hospital with a tounge/lip tie specialist who will cut ASAP after birth if it needs doing.

If it's already in the family, definitely get it checked out.

EasyCompadre Mon 14-Apr-14 08:42:40

Great, thanks for the tips, I'll get straight onto finding out how we get looked as soon after birth as we can, and I'll make sure they check for both tongue and lip ties.

caledonianclown Mon 14-Apr-14 12:25:17

My DS (6) was tongue tied but not diagnosed till he was 6 weeks, we had it snipped at 7 weeks and feeding improved almost immediately. With DD (2 weeks) I was much more aware and informed and insisted the midwife checked almost immediately after birth. Sure enough she was also tongue tied and it was snipped at 4 days. She'd already done a bit of damage to one nipple in that time but not nearly as bad as DS and feeding now much improved. My sister and I are both tongue tied so yes I think it may well be hereditary.

TheScience Mon 14-Apr-14 17:12:09

DP has an uncorrected tie - MIL ebf him for 3 painful months while he cried constantly, didn't sleep and didn't gain weight - and both DSs had one, both snipped at 3 weeks.

CaptWingoBings Mon 14-Apr-14 17:18:16

The midwife who snipped Dc2 tongue tie said it can be hereditary. I don't have a TT & I assume my sibs don't either, we all breastfed. But my dad does & my second DC did.

TarkaTheOtter Mon 14-Apr-14 17:19:58

The midwife who snipped dd thought so. She checked me and it turns out I have one too.
However they don't always cause problems. Mine didn't and ds has one too and feeding has been fine. With dd it was agony.

mawbroon Mon 14-Apr-14 23:31:11

Yes, it is highly hereditary. Related to the MTHFR gene apparently. And as PP said, they are looking into the relationship between folic acid/folate and ties.

Just bear in mind that there is a massive thread on here full of people who were told by umpteen HCPs that there was no tie, only to find out later that there was. You need to find somebody who knows what they are doing. Where are you based?

EasyCompadre Tue 15-Apr-14 00:07:17

I'm based in Cheshire, mawbroon. From my research today it looks like the Spire hospital has a tongue tie consultant, but I'm not sure if the tie has to be diagnosed first and they just administer the treatment, or if they will see you for a consultation beforehand.

I'll keep looking so I've got a really good idea of who I need to contact in which order when baby arrives; like everyone else I would want it sorted as soon as is possible... I've already posted a thread about how I think nipple/breast pain is going to be my biggest barrier to successful breastfeeding so I'm glad I've stumbled across this now so I can at least be prepared and hopefully save my nipples in the event of a tie.

Forago Tue 15-Apr-14 00:19:59

I think it must be as I have 3 boys all of whom had tongue tie, all snipped in the first couple of weeks.

All also have that weird dent thing at the base of the spine.

I took folic acid with all three but not as regularly or before with third

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