Actually, since the tongue shapes the palate in utero, many babies with
ankyloglossia are BORN with high arched palates.  The tethered tongue can't
help spread the palate.  It is my belief that the tongue prob. has way more
opportunity to shape the bony structures of the mouth than either a bottle
or a breast does.  This does not mean that Brian Palmer is in error.  I
think that breastfeeding promotes better development of the oral stuctures
and the patterning movements influence muscles of the face and mouth.  And
I've heard Brian say in lectures:  "Muscle moves bone".  In the mouth, that
muscle is the tongue.  I think those narrow bottle teats and pacifies do lie
up in those palatal groves and may (when things are still rather maleable)
deepen the groves, but I've had my fingers in the mouths of many, many
tongue-tied newborns (most of whom have not yet had a bottle -- or not very
many bottles) and they all have funny shaped palates.  These days, I bet I
could be blind-folded and tell just by feeling the palate shape whether the
kid is tongue-tied.

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

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