Direct answer

A short or tight lingual frenulum may affect feeding, tongue movement and sometimes speech.

Labeled anatomy of the lips, teeth, tongue, palate, uvula and palatine tonsil
Labeled anatomy of the lips, teeth, tongue, palate, uvula and palatine tonsil. General illustration for context. Image: OpenStax College via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
01

Key symptoms

  • Appearance alone does not determine treatment
  • Feeding function is central in infants
  • Speech difficulties can have other causes
02

Assessment and treatment

  • Feeding observation and oral examination
  • Lactation or speech support when appropriate
  • Frenotomy/frenuloplasty for selected functional problems

Related ENT services

Paediatric ENT careENT assessment of childhood adenoid and tonsil problems, snoring, glue ear, hearing difficulty and speech delay, with surgery when indicated.→
ReferencesCleft lip and palateNHS↗Ear Infections in ChildrenNIH/NIDCD↗Clinical Practice Guideline: Otitis Media with EffusionAAO-HNSF↗Making a decision about glue earNHS England↗

For patient education; not a substitute for individual diagnosis or treatment. Seek emergency care for red-flag symptoms.