TOTs Explained – Tongue Tie, Lip Tie, Cheek TieTOTs (tethered oral tissue) refers to a fascial restriction that can cause tension in the mouth, skull, body or neck. It can be located under the tongue, in the cheeks, and/or under the lips. TOTs can negatively affect breastfeeding and bottle feeding, chewing and swallowing, speech, sleep, breathing and body movement or posture. There are many symptoms of TOTs and not every child will have the same symptoms.
Infants can present with poor feeding, breast or bottle, lack of weight gain, reflux, excessive gas, constipation, mouth breathing, torticollis (persistent head tilt to one side), favoring a side to look at or lay on, misshapen head and colic. Some infants will fail to meet developmental milestones such as sitting up, rolling over, or crawling on all fours when a tethered oral restriction is present.
Toddlers and older children can present with speech delays or articulation problems, developmental milestone delays, headaches, neck pain, reflux, gagging, choking or spitting up food, texture sensitivities, digestive disorders, mouth breathing or poor sleep.
Tethered oral tissue creates a body imbalance which can create a brain imbalance. Starting from week 10 in utero, a newborn with TOT is swallowing with restrictions. Tethered Oral Tissue chiropractic adjustment bodywork is to create an environment that is functioning at its optimal level pre-release and post release.
Chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) for TOTs is a hands-on touch therapy to relieve tension in the child’s soft tissues which strengthens and lengthens the muscles especially those associated with breathing and feeding. Slow gentle movements across the child’s body helps soft tissues to release tension and reorganize. Chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) may include the head, neck, shoulders, trunk, hips, feet and work with alignment. Chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) also helps support neurological integration, the process by which a baby learns to control and move their body.
All of the issues that chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) can fix can be symptoms for tongue-tied children – particularly breathing and eating. Chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) can help to ameliorate the negative effects of TOTs. Facia connects the body from head to toe and tension in the mouth from a tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie creates tension elsewhere in the body. Chiropractic adjustments (bodywork) can release the tension to support healing.
Dr. Melissa and staff have been great over the past year. Always feel great after my appointment. I would highly recommend them.
McCue is by far the best chiropractor group I have ever been to. Myself and my son, who suffered from a severe tongue tie, started seeing Melissa by a simple google search and it was literally the best thing that happened to us. Not only was she amazing with my then 2 month old, but she also linked us with a CST therapist and made amazing recommendations that have not only made major improvements with both my and my sons health, but now my little guy is all caught up and LOVES coming to see her for maintenance. They are so accommodating for schedules, they have great communication with all of their patients, their facility is spotless and Melissa and her husband are the most down to earth people you will ever meet. Our family will never see anyone else!
Dr. Melissa is great. Got to my 1st appointment early and didn’t have to wait at all. She explained everything before and during the adjustments, took a good amount of time to learn my medical history and all of my ailments… and my pinched nerve (the reason I made the appt.) was better within 2 days! She was also very accommodating to my schedule and understanding on a last minute cancellation due to a migraine and in general very friendly and kind as is her son who was the receptionist.
I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Melissa! We found her after my son had been through three rounds of antibiotics for ear infections basically in a row. I heard chiropractic care might work and I was ready to try anything. She made my one year old feel comfortable within the first visit. The second visit I remember him going from being too stuffy to nurse to able to breathe through his nose about a half hour after his adjustment. I was a believer then. Through the months that followed Dr. Melissa provided support not only in person, but through text as well. She taught us a lot about ear infections, showed us massage to prevent, and talked to use about supplements to support his immune system. Several months after seeing her, my son’s fluid (which doctors thought would never drain) was completely GONE. I couldn’t believe it! I can not recommend her enough and will always go for adjustments over antibiotics in the future when it comes to my little guy’s ears. It WORKS!