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Our guest today on “Healthy Births, Happy Babies” is Dr. Alison Hazelbaker, an expert on infant sucking issues caused by various structural problems like torticollis, plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and tissue shock-trauma. She designed the Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF), which is the only research-based tongue-tie screening process in infants under 6 months.
In this episode, we will cover:
- When a tongue and/or lip tie revision is absolutely necessary and when it would be an unnecessary surgery for your baby (only 5% of babies have a true tongue tie)
- What problems are associated with tongue and/or lip tie for your baby (with breastfeeding and beyond)
- What questions you should ask your pediatrician, lactation consultant and/or pediatric dentist before you subject your baby to this surgery
Resources mentioned in the conversation:
- Dr. Hazelbaker’s website: http://www.alisonhazelbaker.com
- link to her book: Tongue-tie: Morphogenesis, Impact, Assessment and Treatment
- www.tongue-tie.org
About Dr. Alison Hazelbaker:
Dr. Hazelbaker has been a therapist for over 30 years. She specializes in cross-disciplinary treatment and to that end has taken training in several modalities to best assist her clients. She is a certified Craniosacral Therapist, a Lymph Drainage Therapy practitioner, a Tummy Time™ Trainer, a Haller Method practitioner and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
She is recognized as an expert on infant sucking issues caused by various structural problems like torticollis, plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and tissue shock-trauma. She earned her Master’s Degree from Pacific Oaks College (Human Development specializing in Human Lactation) and her doctorate from The Union Institute and University (Psychology, specializing in Energetic and Transformational healing.)
Her original research on tongue-tie, done in 1993, has changed clinical practice both in the USA and abroad. (www.tongue-tie.org) She authored the Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF) during her Master’s Degree program. She recently revised her Master’s thesis on tongue-tie into a comprehensive book on the condition: Tongue-tie: Morphogenesis, Impact, Assessment and Treatment for Aidan and Eva Press www.aidanandevapress.com
The ATLFF remains the only research-based tongue-tie screening process in infants under 6 months.