Each newborn baby has its own characteristics. But there are some physiological processes that are inherent in all children - the stages of development of their speech, emotions, swing of arms and legs ... And some little ones have bad habits. For example, they suck their tiny fingers or stick a tongue out of their mouth. And if the first habit doesn’t scare parents so much, because adults quite often encounter it, then thanks to the second, young mothers often ask themselves questions: is this situation normal? Why do children stick out their tongues? Maybe they do not indulge, maybe there was some kind of problem?
Too early to sound the alarm
What does it mean when the tongue of your child often sticks out of his mouth? How should parents react to this - to be happy or worried? To understand why a baby is sticking out its tongue, it is necessary to deal with the reasons prompting him to do this.
Before mothers begin to worry and rush to the doctor, it is necessary to monitor the conditions under which the baby begins to show its tongue. After all, there are several completely non-dangerous reasons for which such actions of the baby are considered absolutely normal.
Why it happens? Non-dangerous causes
- The kid is hungry and wants to eat. It is at this time that the baby shows his tongue. Such a reflex action is more strongly developed in those toddlers who are breast-fed, because that is how they try to find mother's breast on a subconscious level.
- It's hot for the kid. Why does the child stick out his tongue when the window is too warm? If the baby does this, mother can understand that her little one is hot and that he is very thirsty.
- Training the peanut. Do not forget that the tongue is one of the muscles of the body that should also be trained. No one is surprised if the baby begins to tug with legs or arms. The same applies to the tongue.
- Teething. In the baby’s mouth, the gums swell, he feels some discomfort. Mom may notice that the child runs his tongue over the gums and sticks it out. As a rule, all this accompanies profuse salivation. In this situation, worry about why the child sticks out his tongue is not worth it.
- The kid indulges. It often happens that the crumbs show the tongue just like that, repeating these movements for their parents who just play with them.
- Big tongue. It sometimes happens that little ones are born with reeds slightly larger than the standard size. Therefore, the reeds are cramped in the mouth. Parents do not need to worry too much, because the baby will grow up, and this minor defect will be eliminated by itself.
Why a child sticks out his tongue in a month or two can also be understood without doctors. Toddlers at this age begin to learn communication skills, learn to aguy. And with the help of the tongue, they try to make new sounds, showing with a sincere smile what they get.
Concerns: Pressure
If the mother pays attention to the fact that her child lies with his tongue sticking out constantly or with enviable regularity after feeding, if the baby is nervous and capricious, this may indicate that one of the diseases develops pathologically.
If the baby has increased intracranial pressure, he will be capricious, cry, eat poorly and sleep little. A drop-down tongue and a head thrown back are characteristic signs of the disease. Parents should not only closely monitor the baby, but also treat him with a neurologist.
It is this specialist who will be able to explain why a month-old child sticks out his tongue (as well as the baby is a little older), how to deal with this, so that the child is completely recovered.
After a thorough examination is carried out, treatment massage and drug therapy are usually prescribed. It is more correct in this case to begin treatment as early as possible, because pathological processes are a direct way to problems with the child’s vision and mental retardation.
Reasons for concern: hypothyroidism and thrush
Hypothyroidism (one of the worst diseases of babies) can occur due to a lack of thyroid hormones, the function of which is reduced. The reason for this, as a rule, is the lack of iodine in the expectant mother during the gestation period. The consequences can be physical or mental retardation. Usually this disease is determined and diagnosed in the hospital. But it happens that it manifests itself at a later date, when the baby is in the first year of life.
If the parents notice that the baby has a large and swollen tongue, which is hardly placed in the mouth, they should immediately contact an endocrinologist, because this state of affairs can indicate a serious illness.
Thrush. Yes, yes, this disease can be in children! Fungi of the genus Candida infect the oral mucosa. 20% of peanuts under the age of one year experience symptoms of candidiasis. You can determine the presence of thrush by white plaque in the sky, tongue and cheeks. When the child sticks out his tongue, he tries to alleviate his discomfort.
Concerns: Stomatitis
There are two more diseases, the presence of which in babies explains why children stick out their tongues.
One of them is stomatitis, in which the mother can notice small sores in the baby’s mouth. It is they who encourage the baby to stick out the tongue, because he is uncomfortable: the sores also affect the lower part of the tongue. If mom suspects stomatitis, she should take the baby for a consultation with a pediatrician. That, if the disease is started, will redirect the child to the pediatric dentist, infectious disease specialist or immunologist.
Reasons for concern: muscle atrophy
In the second, quite serious disease - atrophy of the facial muscles - the baby can not only stick out its tongue. In this case, he does not manage to control the muscles of his face: he does not grimace, like most children of his age, does not smile. Immediately, without unnecessary words, it is clear why children stick out their tongues with such a diagnosis. The pediatrician usually directs these babies for a consultation with a neurologist. You can diagnose the disease using CT or MRI. They suggest treating with medication, and massage will also be useful.
So, it is already clear how many reasons exist that explain why children stick out their tongues. Many of them are quite harmless, they do not require any intervention from doctors. And yet, if such a feature of the child greatly worries his mom and dad, it is better to visit sensible specialists - an endocrinologist and a neuropathologist, so that they can accurately determine if there are reasons for parental experiences.