There is a subtle difference between the click a tongue tied baby makes
and the popping sound from a submucous cleft. I suspect it has something
to do with how the negative pressure in the mouth is lost.  With a
tongue tie, the tongue has elevated as much as it can, and the frenulum
pulls it down sharply and suddenly.  This causes a very distinct and
sharp click.

With a submucous cleft, the muscles of the soft palate are not connected
in midline, and when the soft palate tries to elevate to close off the
airway, it deforms as the muscles bunch up at the lateral borders.  This
causes a less sharply defined sound, more like a pop or crackle than a
click.  At least this is what I think right now with my current
understanding of the problem, which is admittedly imperfect.

Some babies with tongue ties bf very well.  There are several
compensations that babies can make if their tongue elevation is
inhibited.  The problem with compensations is that they rarely are
useful in building the next set of skills using those muscles, and can
actually compromise later development.  Ask any occupational or physical
therapist.
--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html