Pediatric Speech Therapy for Tongue-Tiein San Ramon, Livermore, and Tracy, CA
Does your child have trouble producing certain sounds because of a tongue-tie? Or is their speech still difficult to understand after a tongue-tie release procedure?
At Language Essentials, our pediatric speech therapists help children build the tongue movement and coordination needed for clearer speech, so they can communicate with greater ease and confidence.
What Is a Tongue-Tie?
Ankyloglossia, more commonly known as tongue-tie, happens when the frenulum, the strip of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is unusually short, tight, or thick, restricting how easily your child lifts, extends, or moves their tongue.
Every tongue-tie looks a little different, ranging from barely noticeable to more restrictive. It’s often identified during infancy because it can interfere with feeding, and as your child begins speaking, restricted movement may make certain sounds harder to produce.
Some children undergo a procedure to release the frenulum, but this doesn’t automatically teach the tongue how to use its new range of motion, so speech therapy can still help afterward.
How Can a Tongue-Tie Affect Your Child's Speech?
Not every child with a tongue-tie experiences speech difficulties. When a tongue-tie does affect speech, you may notice your child:
- Has difficulty producing sounds that require the tongue to lift or touch the roof of the mouth
- Speaks with a lisp or substitutes one sound for another
- Sounds choppy or effortful when they try to speak quickly
- Is often difficult for others to understand
- Avoids words or sounds that are challenging to pronounce
- Feels hesitant to speak up
An evaluation with a speech therapist can determine whether restricted tongue movement is contributing to your child’s speech difficulties.
How Speech Therapy Helps Children with Tongue-Tie
The speech therapists at Language Essentials begin by evaluating how your child moves their tongue and produces sounds, then build a personalized plan around your child’s age and communication needs. Therapy may include:
- Improving the tongue movement and coordination needed for speech
- Teaching your child where to place their tongue for specific sounds
- Practicing challenging sounds in words, phrases, and conversations
- Using engaging activities to make practice positive and motivating
- Giving you practical strategies to reinforce clearer speech at home
Why Choose Language Essentials
Since 2008, Language Essentials has helped children across Northern California develop clearer, more confident communication. We believe therapy works best when it feels playful and pressure-free, so we meet each child where they are and build sessions around what motivates them. By partnering closely with your family, we help your child feel confident being heard and understood at home, at school, and everywhere in between.
Reach Out Today to Get Started
If you’re concerned that a tongue-tie is affecting your child’s speech, call Language Essentials at (925) 743-3322 to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation or fill out our online contact form to request an evaluation. We look forward to helping your child speak clearly and feel fully understood in everyday life.
