A lack of treatment options for babies with tongue tie in Gateshead means parents are having to travel or go private.
Councillors expressed dismay at the lack of services available for babies suffering from the condition at a families overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday 16 June. Tongue-tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is described in council documents as “a congenital abnormality which is characterised as an abnormally short lingual frenulum which can cause restriction of tongue movement.
“The condition may be mild or severe and careful assessment of the degree of tongue-tie must take place in addition to a full feeding history to determine whether the tongue-tie may cause feeding issues”.
Historically, treatment for tongue-tie was available at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, however this is no longer routine. Parents and babies in Gateshead are now referred to NHS trusts in Sunderland and South Tyneside.
A council report, whilst praising the efforts and rapidity of the trusts in Sunderland and South Tyneside has raised concerns with the current referrals. Appointments can take up to six weeks to come through and the travel from Gateshead to Sunderland or South Tyneside was considered a complicating factor.
Some parents may have to consult private medical practitioners to conduct a “frenulotomy”, a procedure to cut the frenulum and free-up the tongue. This can cost around £225 and further treatment, at a cost, may also be incurred.
This raised concerns for parents who may not be able to afford private medical treatment.
Vice chair of the families overview and scrutiny committee and Gateshead mayor, Dott Burnett said to the committee: “I had never heard of this until I had two grandchildren. In the last year two of my grandchildren have had tongue-tie and they have had a hell of a job getting it done.
“And the problem is if it’s not done it affects a lot of things moving along. There must be a lot of children who are suffering when in my family there were two. There should be something available for people in Gateshead.”
Council officer Moira Richardson informed the committee work is being done to address the situation and with suitable investment there may be new clinics to help the babies and families suffering with tongue-tie across the North East.
The committee then acknowledged the report.
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