At every visit, Dr. Church examines the ties and airway of each patient. One of the reasons Dr. Church likes to see children at 8-10 months old for their first visit is to rule out or diagnose issues with these structures early on.

Book Online

Ties

The most common concern that may need early intervention is when a young child has a prominent labial or lingual frenulum, otherwise known as a lip tie or tongue tie, especially if there are issues with breast or bottle feeding. Newborns who are having a difficult time breast or bottle feeding should not wait until they are 8-10 months old to be seen. They should come in right away. Ties can be revised as early as a few weeks old to allow the child to have a strong latch and receive all nutrients needed without complication. If possible, Dr. Church communicates directly with the child’s pediatrician and IBCLC (lactation consultant) to make the best decision for the child. Dr. Church has diagnosed and treated many ties and will help the parents weigh the pros and cons of having it done. There are many reasons a child could be struggling with breast feeding and he would only recommend a revision if he feels it would likely lead to an improvement.

Airway

At each exam, Dr. Church will check the oral airway of the child if they are compliant. This allows him to see how patent, or open, the start of the airway is. Some airways may be narrow or dealing with obstruction from other structures in the area like tonsils. In others, it is the narrow palate causing the issues. In some cases, the child may have symptoms related to breathing or sleep despite having a normal looking airway. The ties mentioned above can also contribute to airway issues. If Dr. Church sees anything of concern during this exam or notices signs of a child grinding their teeth, he may ask about these symptoms:

  • Snoring
  • Mouth breathing
  • Waking up frequently after having fallen asleep
  • Frequently tired during the day
  • Grinding teeth while sleeping
  • Frequently getting sore throats

Dr. Church uses all of this information to decide if there is a need for the child to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist for further testing (possibly including a sleep study), or see an orthodontist for a consult regarding airway-related treatment.