Ankyloglossia: controversies in management.
OBJECTIVE
To determine current beliefs regarding ankyloglossia and its treatment.


METHODS
Anonymous written survey.


METHODS
Otolaryngologists (OTO, n=423), pediatricians (PD, n=425), speech pathologists (SP, n=400), and lactation consultants (LC, n=350) were randomly selected from professional membership lists, with a response rate of 209 (49%), 235 (55%), 150 (37.5%), and 203 (58%), respectively.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine percent of LCs, but a minority of physician respondents, believe tongue-tie is frequently associated with feeding problems. Sixty percent of OTOs, 50% of SPs, but only 23% of PDs believe tongue-tie is at least sometimes associated with speech difficulties. Sixty-seven percent of OTOs versus 21% of PDs believe tongue-tie is at least sometimes associated with social/mechanical issues. Surgery is recommended at least sometimes for feeding, speech, and social/mechanical issues by 53, 74, and 69% of OTOs, respectively, but by only 21%, 29%, and 19% of PDs.


CONCLUSIONS
The significance of ankyloglossia in children remains controversial, both within, and between, specialty groups.
Messner
A H
AH
Division of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Packard Childrens Hospital at Stanford, 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA. anna.messner@medcenter.stanford.edu
Lalakea
M L
ML
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008035:Lingual Frenum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States