Michelle,
        I tell the doctor:  "while baby's tongue is not fused to the
floor of the mouth, the lingual frenulum appears a bit restrictive.
There are deficits in the following tongue motions....  I would
appreciate your feedback after you examine baby.  Oh, just for my
information, Do you perform frenotomies?  Who do you generally refer to?
 Mothers in my practice have been very happy with Dr's X and Y."
        This shtick has been refined over many years.  If the doctor has
already pronounced the frenulum normal, I usually say "Dr., I agree with
you that baby's frenulum does not LOOK restrictive.  However, my
assessment tool showed there are deficits in tongue function.  Is there a
specialist you generally refer to in these equivocal cases?"
        Hope this helps.  I think this is the stickiest area, getting
respect for the things we know more about than many pediatricians.  I
also sometimes tell moms that frenotomy went out of vogue for awhile
while everyone bottlefed, and her ped may not be informed about it, then
supplying the number of a specialist who is.  I use this tactic when I
know the ped is clueless.  We are not the only allied health group that
has this problem, occupational and physical therapists have the same
difficulty with some physicians not respecting their special skills.  I
work for the day we will have true teamwork among health care
professionals.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  NYC  [log in to unmask]