Episode 5: Orlagh’s Tongue Tie Journey

In this episode of the Nourishing Birth and Beyond podcast, I talk with Katie, a mother who shares her experience with her daughter Orlagh’s severe tongue tie, which went undiagnosed for a long time. Despite initial misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments, Katie persevered, eventually finding effective help through holistic practitioners who focused on proper tongue movement and exercises. The conversation highlights the importance of proper diagnosis and treatment of tongue ties, the impact on a child’s development, and the challenges faced by parents seeking adequate medical support. Katie’s story underscores the need for awareness and proper training among healthcare professionals to prevent similar situations.

In this episode of the podcast I talk about:

• The podcast episode centers on Katie’s experience with her daughter Orlagh, who suffered from an undiagnosed tongue tie, leading to significant feeding and developmental challenges.
• Initially, Orlagh’s symptoms were misdiagnosed as reflux, cow’s milk protein allergy, and other conditions, resulting in ineffective treatments and prolonged distress.
• Katie eventually sought help from holistic practitioners who emphasized the importance of tongue movement exercises and proper diagnosis, leading to significant improvements in Orlagh’s condition.
• The discussion highlights the critical need for awareness and comprehensive training among healthcare professionals to correctly identify and treat tongue ties, preventing unnecessary suffering for families.
• Katie’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of misdiagnosis and the importance of advocating for proper medical care.

Sound bites from this episode:

“Trust your instincts as a parent. If something feels off, keep pushing for answers.”

“It’s not about the money. We, as parents, would pay anything for our children. Some people can’t afford to go and find this treatment as well, which is also a shame because the NHS doesn’t offer it like you have to do private.”

“When the tongue’s not moving well, it has an impact on the gut. But that put you guys down the cow’s milk protein allergy route, but actually that doesn’t seem that that was the case. And then there was that thinking about that bowel condition… and she doesn’t have that. Reflux is all sorted.”

“Reflux is a symptom, not a condition. It’s a symptom of something else.”