Any Risk of Tongue Falling Back Post Release?

Q:

When tongue-tie is identified, is there ever a case where frenectomy is not recommended? I have a client with CP who was diagnosed with tongue-tie as an infant, and his mother received conflicting recommendations, so she never did anything about it. She was told by one provider that there is a risk of the tongue falling back into the airway in the case of CP. 

A:

I worked with a 5 year old boy who had just been diagnosed with childhood diabetes.  His mother was reluctant to do anything at that time related to even minor surgery (and it was prior to lasers being used), so we held off the frenectomy for quite awhile.  In his case, he had phonological issues that we could work with in the meantime.  As far as the tongue falling back into the airway, most tongues are not ankylosed but yet they do not “fall back” into the airway.  Since he has other considerations medically, I don’t have any definite answer in his particular case; you might want to check online to see if any such studies exist or find out the professional who told the parent that and contact them to learn where they got that information.  If you do find out, please send it to me so I can share it with our future course attendees and others.