A surgical procedure for infants known as "tongue-tie release" is on the rise, though an in-depth story by the New York Times suggests it shouldn't be. The condition occurs when a band of tissue connects the tip of the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. Detaching the tissue to encourage easier breastfeeding has been done for centuries by midwives, and a royal surgeon even cut an infant Louis XIII's tongue-tie in 1601. While some parents swear by the procedure (these days a laser is used instead of a sharp fingernail), the Times spoke with multiple parents who said they felt pressured to undergo the surgery when their babies struggled with breastfeeding, only to experience further (and pricey) complications. While data on how many procedures are performed is hard to come by since it's rarely covered by insurance, reporting from hospitals, consultation requests from specialists, and internet searches show interest has sharply increased.
The surgery takes minutes to perform, and the dentists who typically do it charge hundreds of dollars. The story notes one seminar pitched as "Tequila and Tongue Ties" in which pediatric dentists received training on how to perform and promote the procedure, before rounds of tequila shots. One pediatrician warned his patients against the trend, calling it a "money grab" by dentists and lactation consultants, who often get a referral fee. Among the parents who went on record with the Times was Tess Merrell, whose daughter was hospitalized after she stopped eating post-surgery. She spent her first Christmas on a feeding tube to treat severe dehydration. Merrell said the procedure was touted as a "miracle cure," but she regrets getting it. "We felt really stupid afterward because we paid to hurt our baby." (Read the full story here.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
