12 years ago, Justin pioneered tongue tie services in Ireland to improve infant feeding.
We are now leading the way in Ireland optimising functional outcome for a lifetime.
GOOD ENOUGH IS NO LONGER ENOUGH.
We are passionate about breastfeeding. We remain committed to ensuring every baby, breastfed or bottle fed, can access a functional solution for the functional problem of oral ties, thus avoiding unnecessary medication. Our mission is to maximise functional outcome from oral restrictions to ensure optimum function over a lifetime.
A tongue able to rest on the roof of the mouth helps to shape the palate, promotes jaw development and oro-facial growth. In addition to optimising the infants feeding journey, a properly functioning tongue encourages nasal breathing rather than mouth breathing, facilitates autonomic regulation, will optimise diction, allows for better sleep patterns to develop and assists in maintaining airway patency, thus avoiding future health problems.
The relationship between all these potential problems and congenital oral restrictions although known are not proven to be causal as of yet. We are part of the journey, part of the research, part of the global effort to promote health across a lifetime.
Almost 20 years ago our baby had a tongue tie division in the UK at one week of age. We did no aftercare and no bodywork. If you asked us even 5 years ago if it was successful, we would have said yes, 100%. Our baby went on to breastfeed for a year, so we reached our feeding goals: Job done. However, now as an adult, her tongue function is sub-optimal; she holds it low in her mouth, she required extensive orthodontics, and mouth breathes. In retrospect we can see that her outcome was not optimised.
Another one of our children, 12 years ago, required a general anaesthetic and an overnight stay in Crumlin to have a posterior tongue tie divided at 5 weeks of age. This experience set us down the road of Justin offering tongue tie services in a clinic setting so other babies were not undergoing unnecessary general anaesthesia at such a young age. Again, we considered it a success, she also breastfed for a year after weeks of cup feeding and SNS assisted feeding. Now too, with the benefit of hindsight, her tongue function was also not optimised. She has a speech impediment, open mouth posture and is starting a program of orthotropics and myofunctional therapy.
In order to achieve better function both girls need further surgery to release their reattachments which we had not realised, when they were infants, were reattachments. For them it has not been good enough.
BEST OUTCOME NEEDS A TEAM. AND THE TEAM IN THE SAME PLACE
Specialists from different professions each bring their own skill set and perspective. Working together we share ideas and concepts to brainstorm solutions for more complex cases. We meet together as a team, 4 clinicians plus support staff, at least twice a week discussing all patients. Within our team we can draw on our experience from our training in;
Paediatric Medicine
Lactation Consultancy (5 IBCLC’s)
Physiotherapy
Craniosacral Therapy
Midwifery
General Nursing
Neonatal Nursing
A Lactation Consultant and Physio working together during a joint feeding session, Doctor and Lactation Consultant reviewing the need for Domperidone, Physio and Doctor discussing optimal timing of release, the options are endless. For parents being able to access their child’s care in one place, assessment and treatment, is more cohesive and comprehensive. As a team we are greater than the sum of our parts.
Our team is amazing!
Justin & Kate Roche
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