If the baby can't fill the oral cavity (with teat -- perhaps because
nipple/areolar tissue is non-elastic) the baby will attempt to fill the
space with the posterior (back section) of the tongue.  At least this is
what the OT/Speech Path. lit suggests.  Small infants with thin cheeks
(scant fat pads hence larger oral cavity)  paired with mom with flattish,
tight,  "inexperienced" nipples may be a combination that explains why baby
is humping up or curling tongue in the rear of the mouth.

Also, infants tend to trigger the gag reflex a bit closer to the midsection
of the tongue compared to far back on the tongue and at the pharyngeal wall
(as with older babies).  Maybe these tongue curlers have slightly overactive
gag reflexes and use their tongues to prevent triggering.  Anyway, these are
just a few thoughts.  I support the idea of some systematic assessments of
infants for feeding (related to looking at feeding reflexes, oral/facial
anatomical features, tone and state, along with taking history of the birth
experience.  Once we begin to look more closely, we can begin to document
associations that I bet we're currently missing.

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
http://www.lactnews.com

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