ᐉ Why does a 4-month-old baby pull out his tongue? Child Sticking Out Tongue

From birth, babies strive to communicate with their mother, but their speech is not yet formed until they are 1 year old. To interact, children intuitively use facial expressions and exhibit motor activity in the presence of an adult. Babies use the same means of communication when they feel discomfort or want to communicate their needs.

However, some movements and habits of children may alert parents. So, mothers begin to worry when they observe obsessive thumb sucking or tongue sticking out. Sometimes there really is a reason to worry. To make sure that everything is fine with the baby, parents must understand why the child is sticking out his tongue and what accompanying symptoms should contact a specialist.

Why does a baby chew and suck its tongue?

You should not panic if you notice this, but you should figure out the reasons and eliminate the “bad habit” in your child yourself or seek the help of a doctor. There are many factors in the development of this phenomenon, and in this article we will try to identify possible sources of the problem and find ways to solve them.

Possible diseases

Sometimes the cause of chewing and tongue sucking can be various pathologies:

The so-called thrush (an infectious fungal disease that affects the baby’s oral mucosa) is a common problem that parents face. Due to the whitish coating on the cheeks, gums, and especially the tongue, the child can stick it out, chew and suck. In addition to dense deposits, the child may feel pain and discomfort. To identify and treat the disease, you need to consult a pediatrician.
If a child chews his tongue, endocrine diseases may be the cause. Hypothyroidism - insufficient production of thyroid hormones - can also manifest itself in the muscular organ. It swells and becomes larger than normal. The child tries to “remove” it from his mouth, that is, he walks with his tongue sticking out. It is clear that discomfort can also result from chewing the tongue. Endocrinologists identify this pathology and prescribe treatment.
Pathologies of the jaw bones and malocclusion are phenomena that cause children of several months of age to chew and suck their tongue. Due to an excessively small lower jaw and irregularly shaped dental arch, children can feel the “size” of the tongue and, as a result, pay attention to it and chew it.
This can also apply to children during the teething period - when the gums become inflamed, itchy and painful. To reduce discomfort, the child tries to compensate for the pain by chewing his tongue. During teething, you need to visit a pediatric dentist, and for children with existing teeth and pathology of the bite or jaws, an orthodontist.
The reason for chewing and sticking out the tongue during sleep is increased intracranial pressure. Children with such problems should be urgently shown to a pediatrician.

READ ALSO: Why does a baby sometimes stick out his tongue?

If a child adheres to this habit for a long time, and there are no other symptoms, then he should consult a neurologist. He will help you find the problem and fix it.

Causes not related to pathologies

The most common cause of tongue chewing in infants is the child's transition to feeding adult food. Before the baby begins to eat food containing solid elements, it develops increased salivation.

This process appears at 3-4 months and older. The mechanism of the phenomenon is simple - for the normal absorption of such food, saliva mechanically helps its passage from the oral cavity further along the gastrointestinal tract. It performs an important function - it breaks down carbohydrates using the enzymes it contains. In this regard, excessive salivation often forces the baby to move his tongue in the mouth, chew and suck it.

READ IN DETAIL: increased salivation in infants: causes and solutions

The reason could also be simple hunger. When feeding time comes, the baby begins to chew his tongue if he does not get food. However, over time, when the child learns to express his need for food and immediately receive it, the bad habit will stop.

During the developmental period of the baby, while he is weaned from the pacifier, he may chew and suck his tongue due to habit. Accustomed to constantly having a pacifier in the mouth, the child, in its absence, feels that something is wrong, and automatically makes chewing movements coupled with sucking - only now these actions extend directly to the tongue.

When the baby is busy with an interesting game, watching cartoons or communicating with people and pets, he may chew and suck his tongue or even stick it out. There is nothing wrong with this and, most likely, he is simply busy with an interesting activity, and, as you know, even adults who are carried away by any process can perform uncontrolled actions.

As a bad habit, tongue chewing can develop in children older than 12 months. This is one of the common habits (along with thumb sucking and nail biting) that children develop when they are bored. Without proper attention from adults, the baby begins to amuse himself, and this will lead to such actions as systematic chewing and tongue sucking.

A child smacks his lips: reasons and ways to deal with it

Many young mothers are concerned with the question: “Why does a baby or an older child smack his lips?” What does the child demonstrate with these signals? Is there anything to worry about or is there no reason to worry? Let's look at this in detail.

Sucking reflex

Smacking can be caused by various reasons. If this is an infant, then this may be due to the so-called “sucking reflex.” The baby has a need to suck. Even when well-fed, the baby smacks his lips.

These sucking movements seem to calm and relax him. Busy sucking, the baby quickly falls asleep. Smacking your lips in a dream is not a pathology or any deviation. This is how an overexcited baby relieves stress.

A bath with lavender before bed, chamomile infusion and mother's stroking will help the baby feel more comfortable and protected. During the day, a little person usually experiences a ton of emotions and needs to calm down.

Smacking your lips in a dream is a manifestation of a kind of self-defense. When he eats, he calms down. So the baby’s body imitates “feeding” in a dream.

Conditioned reflexes in babies from 3 months of age

By the third month of a baby’s life, in addition to the innate reflexes (sucking, swallowing), conditioned ones are added, which appear as a result of the child’s adaptation to the surrounding conditions. So, for example, if you put the baby in the usual feeding position, he may smack his lips.

Everyone also knows that sleep has 2 phases - “fast”, during which we adults dream, and “slow” - sleep without dreams. In infants, the first type of sleep predominates: babies smack their lips, as if they were sucking their mother’s breast in their sleep.

Reasons related to feeding your baby

Many young mothers are concerned about the question: is there enough milk for the baby? In fact, determining this is not so difficult. You just need to follow the signals that the baby himself gives. Early signs that your baby is hungry look like this:

baby opens and closes mouth
sticks out tongue;
smacks lips;
looking for breasts;
turning the head.

Why does a baby smack when feeding:

strong flow of milk;
incorrect chest grip.

It is necessary to observe the baby and make sure that he is suckling correctly. If there are no problems with this, and the baby grasps the entire nipple and areola, then the cause may be during strong hot flashes, when the baby simply does not have time to suck.

Correct application. To prevent the baby from smacking while sucking, his mouth should be wide open, completely grasping the nipple and approximately 80% of the areola. The lips should be relaxed and slightly turned out, the cheeks should be slightly puffed out, and the rhythm of breast sucking can be seen from them. If you look closely, you will see that the tongue completely encircles the areola at the bottom.

In the case when only the edge of the nipple is sucked, you need to remove the breast from him and offer him again. Proper breastfeeding is necessary not only so that the baby stops clicking, but also so that feeding is painless for the mother, and the baby develops a correct bite. Incorrect attachment can cause cracked nipples.

Strong lactation. If a baby smacks his lips while breastfeeding, even if the attachment was correct, this may indicate that he does not have time to swallow milk due to a rapid flow.

This happens in the first months after birth, when the lactation process has not yet normalized. To prevent the baby from choking while feeding, the mother needs to express a little milk.

Eliminating the cause is as follows: you need to establish the process of breastfeeding the baby and lactation.

Why do older children smack their lips?

If the child is older, this may be due to psychological reasons. The child’s psyche is still fragile and very vulnerable. Various experiences, stressful situations, changes in environment - all this affects the child’s behavior.

The baby may kick his legs all night, roll over from side to side, talk in his sleep and smack his lips. It is imperative to observe how the child’s day goes during the day, and whether he is overexcited. This often happens when a child just starts going to kindergarten and adaptation is underway.

Even the cancellation of sleep during the day is also a moment for worry.

But there are other reasons why such night sounds can occur. Sometimes the reason lies in the wrong bite. In a child who is sleeping, the muscles are in a relaxed state and the jaw may sink slightly and smacking sounds may be heard. This is not a disease and can be easily eliminated at an early stage.

And another reason may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract, when when bile is thrown into the esophagus, there may be a reflex swallowing, while the child smacks his lips. In this case, you need to contact medical specialists. The most correct thing in this situation is a comprehensive examination of the baby by a psychologist or gastroenterologist.

Chief author and editor-in-chief: Makarskaya S.E., 29 years of experience.

Last revision: 06/11/2018

Associated symptoms

Many symptoms of various diseases can accompany tongue chewing. As mentioned above, these are endocrine disorders, infectious diseases, often teething or pathologies of the bite and development of the jaw bones.

In addition to all of the above, this habit can be accompanied by many inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity:

glossitis - inflammation of the tongue,
stomatitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane,
gingivitis – inflammation of the gums.

These pathologies always cause discomfort in babies in the form of itching and pain, so they begin to drown it out by chewing their tongue. A vicious circle is created here - the child bites the tongue, thereby injuring it, which further aggravates the inflammatory process. That is why chewing the tongue itself contributes to the development of diseases.

How to wean yourself from this habit?

Three month old baby

The answer to the question “why does the baby bite and suck his tongue” has been received. Now we’ll answer how to wean your baby from this habit.

First of all, you need to distract the child. If the baby is three months old or more, then you can give him a pacifier. It is recommended to buy rubber toys for children during the teething period. The same applies to tongue sucking - instead, give the child a pacifier or toy, wean him off the habit with the help of a distracting conversation, song, or poem.

After 3 months of age, do not swaddle your baby with your hands. During this period of development, children learn about the world around them and themselves - exploring and “tasting” their hands and fingers is natural. If you do not give your child this opportunity, it is quite possible that he will develop the harmful habit of chewing his tongue.

Older child

Children after 1 year should absolutely not be given a pacifier - teeth that have already erupted in the period from 5 to 6 months will experience excess pressure, which will lead to bite pathology. A wonderful alternative to a pacifier can be your baby's favorite toy. Don’t forget also about the special rubber rings that are given to babies during teething – the child will switch to them and stop chewing his tongue.

If the child already understands speech, explain that his manner of chewing his tongue is a harmful activity that leads to the development of inflammatory diseases, and, finally, that a child chewing his tongue is ugly and disrespectful to the people around him. Pay attention to your child more often, watch his facial expressions and gestures, do not neglect the recommendations of pediatricians and pediatric dentists, and your baby will not allow such actions as chewing and tongue sucking.

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Reasons for strange behavior

A mother who is not too experienced will worry about why her baby is sticking out his tongue. There is no reason to worry, since this is often explained quite simply:

Games and pampering. If a baby sees someone in the family sticking out his tongue, he will copy the grimace. Don’t forget that the baby learns about this world and repeats after everyone else. It also happens that an infant tries to reproduce a sound, but only succeeds in demonstrating his tongue sticking out. There is no need to worry if your baby grimaces during activity or if it seems like he is chewing.
First teeth (we recommend reading: when do children cut their first teeth?). An infant sticks out his tongue when he is teething (see also: how can you tell if your baby has started teething?). The gums swell, and the changes provoke the baby to explore the oral cavity. If the child is from 4 to 6 months old, this is the most common reason for “demonstrations”. Discomfortable sensations lead to the fact that the baby scratches his gums, and his tongue constantly appears outside.
Development. None of the parents are alarmed that the child waves his arms and legs while awake. The baby also has a muscle in his mouth, which he successfully trains. If the little one once again sticks out his tongue, this is a normal exercise.
Attention deficit. Pediatricians believe that the cause of a protruding tongue is the lack of sufficient contact with the mother. With this signal, the baby makes it clear that he wants to eat, for which he needs to be picked up.
Short frenulum (we recommend reading: at what age should a child have a short frenulum of the tongue?). The connective tissue between the mandible and the uvula causes discomfort when the length is short. Pathology can be detected even in a newborn, since problems with feeding may arise.
Increased size. In medical practice, there are many cases where a baby sticks out its tongue simply because it is large, or the lower jaw is too small. The problem goes away with age after a change in the proportions of body parts at about 5-7 months.
High temperature in the room. The child may stick out his tongue to cool the body and increase evaporation of moisture if he is hot.

Harmless causes of tongue protruding in an infant

In some cases, the reasons for this behavior are obvious. When babies show their tongue at 1-4 months of age, they are most often trying to make their first sounds; the period of humming begins. Children also stick out their tongue in the following cases:

The child feels hungry. At this moment, the baby reflexively sticks out his tongue, trying to find his mother's breast. With this behavior, he signals his natural needs for food.
The baby is hot. The baby may show his tongue when he experiences discomfort due to the heat. At this moment he is thirsty, so the reflex is triggered again.
Training movements. Children tend to explore the world around them and their own body; they touch their legs with their hands, kick, and grab objects. This is how kids train their muscles and learn to control their movements. The tongue has a muscular structure, so it also needs training. Gradually, this body will be actively involved in the communication process.
The appearance of the first teeth. During the period of eruption of milk units, at the age of 7-10 months, children experience swelling of the gums. The process may be accompanied by pain. This causes inconvenience and discomfort to the child; he tries to get rid of the unpleasant sensations with his tongue, so he periodically sticks it out.
A game. If a mother, playing with a child, sticks her tongue out at him, then he tries to copy the movement and also diligently shows his tongue.
Long tongue. In some cases, the baby sticks out his tongue due to its size. Some children have a large tongue that is cramped in their small mouth. With age, the defect smoothes out as the jaw begins to grow.

What to do if a 4 month old baby often sticks out his tongue?

Often these actions can be seen during the game. When a child gets carried away, he does everything involuntarily. He expresses emotions. This gesture may be accompanied by puffing and groaning. This reaction is considered natural to everything that happens around him. A 4-month-old baby sticks out his tongue, getting to know the world around him.

The first tooth may appear before six months. The gums begin to itch. A 4-month-old child constantly sticks out his tongue, performing massage actions, relieving pain. There is no need to worry here.

Dangerous causes of tongue protrusion in children

If the baby's tongue sticks out constantly, parents should consult with their local doctor. A particularly alarming symptom is the tongue falling out of the mouth during sleep.

If during the waking period the baby often opens his mouth, his tongue is not held in the oral cavity, and incessant drooling is observed, then there is a possibility of developing an infectious disease. In addition, similar manifestations occur in infants with pathologies of the endocrine system or suffering from neurological diseases.

Hypothyroidism in a child

A decrease in the functions of the thyroid gland can cause a disease such as hypothyroidism. Most often it occurs due to a lack of iodine in the mother’s body during pregnancy. The consequences for the child can be very serious: with hypothyroidism, there is a lag in intellectual and physical development.

To diagnose the pathology, blood is taken from the heel of newborns in the maternity hospital. If a disease is detected, the mother is invited to consult a specialist. If hypothyroidism was not detected immediately after birth, then it can be determined at 2-3 months of life by the following signs:

the skin has a marbled tint;
the child sticks out his tongue, his mouth is open regardless of the need for food;
the baby lags behind his peers in development;
the baby's skin is unnaturally dry;
the child’s tongue swells and does not fit in the oral cavity;
the nasolabial area has a bluish tint;
the newborn is not gaining weight well;
constipation occurs.

Before starting treatment, the baby is carefully examined. They take tests for thyroid hormones and perform an ultrasound of this organ. Next, hormonal therapy is prescribed.

High blood pressure

Another reason that a child’s tongue falls out of the mouth is a neurological pathology resulting from a birth injury.

A characteristic sign of the disease is a thrown back head, an open mouth and a protruding tongue. Also, a child with high intracranial pressure has the following symptoms:

increase in head size;
a bulge in the area of the fontanel, which heals very slowly;
strabismus;
increased muscle tone;
tremor of the chin and upper limbs.

The therapy is carried out by a neurologist. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medications. With appropriate timely treatment, the disease is completely cured.

Facial muscle atrophy

Facial muscle atrophy may also present with uvula protrusion during infancy. The disease occurs due to impaired functionality of the trigeminal nerve. It can be provoked by endocrine pathologies and malfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. In some cases, facial muscle atrophy is a complication of colds or injuries. The main symptoms of the disease include:

lack of smile;
inability to use facial expressions;
swelling of the lips;
disappearance of folds on the forehead;
recessed eyelids;
asymmetry of facial structures;
deviation of the chin from the center line.

A baby who exhibits such signs must be urgently shown to a therapist or neurologist. Complex therapy is used for treatment, which includes physiotherapy, massage and drug treatment. An example of facial muscle atrophy is shown in the photo.

Some oral diseases

Babies often open their mouths and show their uvula if they have inflammation in the mouth. Among the most common diseases in childhood, pediatricians identify candidiasis and stomatitis.

What to do if a child sticks out his tongue at 4-5 months?

A newborn baby requires close attention from parents. At this period of his life, a lot of things happen that are incomprehensible to mom and dad. One of these oddities may be a tongue that often sticks out. Why does a 4-5 month old baby stick out his tongue? There are many excuses to explain this phenomenon. The child plays or imitates adults. One of the reasons may be some kind of illness. This situation requires observation of the baby to find the correct answer.

Why does a baby often chew or suck his tongue?

Some mothers note another type of alarming behavior in their children - tongue chewing.
Why does a baby chew or suck his tongue? This usually occurs at the age of 5-6 months, when the moment of eruption of the first milk teeth approaches. By this time, the child’s salivary glands are already well developed, as preparations are underway for the transition from exclusively dairy nutrition to a mixed diet with the addition of complementary foods to the diet. Copious secretion of saliva causes a swallowing reflex. The baby learns to swallow excess liquid in the mouth, thus preparing its digestive system for solid foods.

According to pediatricians, a child of this age usually chews his tongue before an upcoming feeding, at times when he feels hungry. However, parents' attention should be drawn to constant chewing of the tongue that is not associated with food intake. According to neurologists, this behavior indicates a high level of nervous excitability.

In some cases, a baby chews his tongue if parents try to wean him from the habit of thumb sucking. Some mothers strive to wean their babies off the pacifier as quickly as possible, remove all pacifiers, and stop attempts to develop the sucking reflex by the age of 8 months. Under such circumstances, the child involuntarily tries to compensate for the deficiency, so sucking the pacifier is replaced by chewing the tongue.

Another factor that provokes this behavior is teething. Swollen gums cause discomfort, the baby wants to get rid of the discomfort. He moves his tongue along the gums and in this way tries to scratch the place where a new tooth will soon appear.

Could these symptoms be a sign of dementia?

Many parents are afraid that a baby’s constantly sticking out tongue may be a symptom of mental retardation and even mental retardation. Indeed, with mental retardation in children, similar external manifestations are observed. However, dementia at an early age can be exclusively congenital, and symptoms are not limited to tongue protruding. In addition to the open mouth, parents should pay attention to the following phenomena:

swollen tongue;
dry skin;
yellowish skin tone;
prolapse of the tongue, which is not controlled by the child;
poor sleep, anxiety;
constant regurgitation;
It is not the whole tongue that appears outside, but only its tip;
swollen fontanel;
pulsation in the area of the fontanelle;
uncontrolled facial expressions;
throwing your head back during sleep.

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