As a parent, you want to do everything in your power to make frenectomy as easy and comfortable for your baby as possible. After working in the tie field, as a pediatric OT for more than 15 years, my experiences have led me to the realization that both Pre and Post Frenectomy Therapy is essential during the release process.
Like you, I prefer a quick and easy route for most things, but tie release is not one of those things. Oral function and feeding, as well as whole body movements, are affected by ties, making this a a whole body, developmental issue.
Frenectomy surgery is not something you want to rush. Going into any surgery unprepared is a set up for poor outcomes, and this is especially true for babies with ties. Keep in mind, the ties have been restricting tongue and mouth movement since around 9-10 weeks gestation, that's still in the first trimester of pregnancy! Therefore, the remainder of the time spent in utero consisted of practicing sucking, swallowing and breathing movements with a limited range of motion and ability.
.Pre Frenectomy therapy focuses on preparing baby and parents from a brain and body standpoint. Releasing ties doesn't change the brain and functional neural patterns, it makes it possible to move in a greater range of motion. The actual movement part is up to the sensorimotor skills happening in the nervous system.
Pre Frenectomy Therapy plays a crucial role in optimizing a baby's physical movements, tensional balance, sensory processing and ability to respond well to challenges.
5 Reasons Pre Frenectomy Therapy is Essential for Precrawling Infants:
1. Optimizes Neurodevelopment and Posture: All babies identified with ties can and should make improvements before release. I've never met a baby that can't make 1-2 important changes in order to be more prepared for increased ranges of motion and a completely different sensory experience that comes with release. Most babies with ties also have symptoms of torticollis, lateral c curve, head tilting, asymmetrical movements and more. These always improve with therapy and help prepare baby for making even bigger changes after release.
2. Guarantees Optimal Timing of Release: Rushing to release is not a good move. Timing of release should always be carefully calculated, as releasing too soon not only alters peri and intra oral sensory development, but it interferes with the good outcomes that could have come if properly timed. Therapists are your guide to figuring out optimal timing of release for your unique baby.
3. Increases Nervous System Regulation and Resiliency: Frenectomy surgery doesn't just affect the tissues and make an open wound, it introduces multiple, repeated bouts of discomfort with the necessary wound care procedures over an extended period of time. This requires baby to have good regulation, or the ability to overcome challenges, calm quickly and also to have good resiliency, or the ability to endure or bounce back after challenges. Therapy is always building regulation and resiliency, which is good for baby now and later on in development.
4. Improves Movement, Oral Function and Feeding: Most babies with ties also present with breathing difficulties, noises while breathing, congestion which negatively impact movement and feeding. Therapy addresses breathing and airway patency issues which improve feeding prior to release. These notable improvements, prior to release, increase the magnitude of greater functional outcomes after release.
5. Decreases Stress and Improves Outcomes: Babies recover and reset with more efficiency and ease and parents feel competent and confident when they have Pre Frenectomy Therapy. This improves outcomes on many levels, physical, emotional, developmental, sensory and more. Pre frenectomy therapy decreases the stress for baby and family, creates safety in the activities and procedures and eliminates shock and trauma that can come when released without preparation and therapy.
BabyMyo therapists are specially trained in oral motor/feeding therapy, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, as well as comprehensive training in developmental play and milestones.
Like you, I prefer a quick and easy route for most things, but tie release is not one of those things. Oral function and feeding, as well as whole body movements, are affected by ties, making this a a whole body, developmental issue.
Frenectomy surgery is not something you want to rush. Going into any surgery unprepared is a set up for poor outcomes, and this is especially true for babies with ties. Keep in mind, the ties have been restricting tongue and mouth movement since around 9-10 weeks gestation, that's still in the first trimester of pregnancy! Therefore, the remainder of the time spent in utero consisted of practicing sucking, swallowing and breathing movements with a limited range of motion and ability.
.Pre Frenectomy therapy focuses on preparing baby and parents from a brain and body standpoint. Releasing ties doesn't change the brain and functional neural patterns, it makes it possible to move in a greater range of motion. The actual movement part is up to the sensorimotor skills happening in the nervous system.
Pre Frenectomy Therapy plays a crucial role in optimizing a baby's physical movements, tensional balance, sensory processing and ability to respond well to challenges.
5 Reasons Pre Frenectomy Therapy is Essential for Precrawling Infants:
1. Optimizes Neurodevelopment and Posture: All babies identified with ties can and should make improvements before release. I've never met a baby that can't make 1-2 important changes in order to be more prepared for increased ranges of motion and a completely different sensory experience that comes with release. Most babies with ties also have symptoms of torticollis, lateral c curve, head tilting, asymmetrical movements and more. These always improve with therapy and help prepare baby for making even bigger changes after release.
2. Guarantees Optimal Timing of Release: Rushing to release is not a good move. Timing of release should always be carefully calculated, as releasing too soon not only alters peri and intra oral sensory development, but it interferes with the good outcomes that could have come if properly timed. Therapists are your guide to figuring out optimal timing of release for your unique baby.
3. Increases Nervous System Regulation and Resiliency: Frenectomy surgery doesn't just affect the tissues and make an open wound, it introduces multiple, repeated bouts of discomfort with the necessary wound care procedures over an extended period of time. This requires baby to have good regulation, or the ability to overcome challenges, calm quickly and also to have good resiliency, or the ability to endure or bounce back after challenges. Therapy is always building regulation and resiliency, which is good for baby now and later on in development.
4. Improves Movement, Oral Function and Feeding: Most babies with ties also present with breathing difficulties, noises while breathing, congestion which negatively impact movement and feeding. Therapy addresses breathing and airway patency issues which improve feeding prior to release. These notable improvements, prior to release, increase the magnitude of greater functional outcomes after release.
5. Decreases Stress and Improves Outcomes: Babies recover and reset with more efficiency and ease and parents feel competent and confident when they have Pre Frenectomy Therapy. This improves outcomes on many levels, physical, emotional, developmental, sensory and more. Pre frenectomy therapy decreases the stress for baby and family, creates safety in the activities and procedures and eliminates shock and trauma that can come when released without preparation and therapy.
BabyMyo therapists are specially trained in oral motor/feeding therapy, manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, as well as comprehensive training in developmental play and milestones.