Tongue and lip ties are two natural phenomena that can cause nursing and speech issues in kids. Among 50% of tongue-tied babies, tongue-tie movements are restricted and cause other problems, such as baby clicking tongue noise during nursing.
In this blog, we will share how this problem occurs, its potential signs, and how to treat it at home by strengthening the baby’s tongue. In addition, Tongue Tie Phoenix offers professional services for treating tongue and lip ties and resolving other issues in infants and kids.
Read: Explore 5 Disadvantages of Clipping Tongue Tie
How does a baby clicking tongue sound in a nine-month-old baby?
Often, babies produce cute sounds during nursing by clicking tongues on the roof of their mouths, smacking their lips, or blowing bubbles. So, why is all that happening?
The signs are that your kid is developing communication skills and has just started giggling and cooing. It is a significant part of a baby’s language development. In addition, these little tricks teach them how to communicate and talk.
On the other hand, if your baby feels irritated and annoyed while making such a sound, there can be some significant issues with tongue development and movements.
Moreover, if you think your baby is not gaining weight, this is the time to get the evaluation done by a professional lactation consultant.
Read: 5 Methods for Feeding Your Baby Affected by Tongue Tie
5 Causes of Baby Clicking Tongue when Feeding:
Baby clicking sounds cute until or unless you feel the signs causing pain or discomfort to your kids. Apart from the issues, there are various scenarios when you can hear tongue-clicking sounds in your babies, such as:
1: Poor position during nursing
Suppose you feel that your baby is curling the tongue up while nursing; you may hear the clicking sound. Poor positioning during breastfeeding can make it difficult for babies to latch onto the breasts effectively. So, be mindful and vigilant and observe your baby keenly.
2: Teething
A temporary clicking can occur when your baby is in the teething phase. If your baby has a sore mouth, there is a chance that your baby is struggling while latching. In such cases, seeing a lactation consultant for a proper check-up is necessary.
3: Thrush
Thrush is a condition in which the mouth is itchy and sore. In such a scenario, the baby tries to break the suction while feeding and produces a clicking sound.
4: Engorgement
It is another potential reason that makes the baby latch difficult and causes difficulty maintaining the suction properly.
5: Ear infection
Ear infection or pain can also build pressure that builds in the ear during sucking and can be highly uncomfortable. Babies may find it challenging to keep a tight seal around the breast and try to get some relief by breaking the suction now and then, producing a clicking tongue sound.
Read: How Lip Tie Makes Breastfeeding Challenging and Solutions?
Signs Baby Has Weak Tongue Strength
Oral motor hypotonia, also known as weak tongue strength, can be a potential cause of clicking sounds in infants and kids. Some potential signs reveal that your baby has weak tongue strength, such as:
If your baby shows some of these signs, book an early appointment with a lactation consultant and look for the possible cause. Try to find the root cause and treat it as soon as possible. Additionally, we will discuss how to strengthen your baby’s tongue.
Way to Strengthen Baby’s Tongue
If you suspect any of the signs mentioned above, you might know your baby has a weak tongue strength but worry not. There are several ways of increasing tongue strength in babies, including some home exercises such as:
Where to Seek Help?
If you think your baby’s tongue clicking is not under control, book an appointment with a baby healthcare provider or professional lactation consultant. In addition, you can also look for ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) specialists who are well-trained in dealing with oral issues.
Pediatric dentists are also trained enough to find the root cause of clicking sounds in kids and can recommend what to do next. So, always get help from professionals to evaluate such issues early in your babies.
FAQs
Why is my baby clicking his tongue?
There is a chance that your baby has difficulty latching the breast or that their tongue movement is restricted due to tongue tie. In addition, this can also occur when your baby has weak tongue strength.
Why does my baby keep making a clicking sound?
A clicking sound is produced when the air invertebrates inside your baby’s mouth make a rapid click. The larger the space, the lower the pitch, and vice versa.
Why does my baby pop her tongue?
There can be several reasons for popping the tongue in babies, such as tongue thrust, development of communication, or latching issues.
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