A small child sticks out his tongue. Why does a small child stick out his tongue

Every movement of a newborn, the first smile, the first reaction to others, cooing cause tenderness in adults. The baby is growing and developing. And mothers closely monitor this process, noting and remembering any little thing.

But some habits of the child cause anxiety in parents. So, many babies stick out their tongues. What is it: a prank or a sign of illness? When should you be concerned? Why does a newborn stick out his tongue?

How to recognize danger?

Watch your baby carefully. Pay attention to the general well-being of the baby, to the quality of his sleep. What does he do simultaneously with the protrusion of the tongue: does he throw his head back, grimaces or hums. Most often, the mother accurately determines when the child is playing, and when his actions are involuntary.

At this stage, careful observation of the baby is important. Not always the baby demonstrates the tongue, having fun and playing. Sometimes these actions may indicate a serious disruption in the endocrine or nervous system.

If the child shows the tongue rarely, during the game, then you should not worry. The kid just grimaces. And that's completely normal. If the newborn cannot keep his tongue in his mouth, sticks it out constantly during the day or during sleep, the baby should be shown to the pediatrician. Early diagnosis will allow you to quickly and painlessly deal with the problem.

harmless reasons

In most cases, the protruding tongue of a baby does not mean anything terrible. This is simple and harmless behavior. And often the reasons are quite prosaic:

1) Innocent pampering, game.

The kid learns the world around him, his body. And language is a part of this body. He's just interested in putting it out. If adults smile back, then the child will do it more often.

Perhaps the newborn is trying to make a sound. And so far it doesn't work. And all his incredible efforts lead only to "antics". Another explanation: the baby saw this "ugly gesture" in adults. Now it repeats. It happens that babies take out the tongue when they actively wave their arms, try to take a toy, crawl or try to stand up. Healthy children in this situation show their tongue from time to time. There is no need to worry about this.

2) The first teeth.

In today's children, teeth begin to cut as early as two months. It's quite an uncomfortable feeling. The child wants to scratch his gums, touch them. Carefully examine his mouth: swelling of the gums indicates the process of teething. In addition, the baby often cries, does not sleep well.

3) Charging.

Excessive mobility of babies is associated with their active growth. Even in the crib, children twist their arms and legs, try to roll over, get up. These exercises target all muscles. And the tongue is also a muscular organ. Why not use it. If the newborn shows it only sometimes, perhaps this is a kind of exercise.

4) Breastfeeding.

Surely, many nursing mothers noticed that the child sucks the tongue, sometimes chews. So he asks to attach him to the chest, feed or calm. The kid is just bored or hungry.

When should you be worried?

A baby may show the tongue due to some diseases:

1) Thrush.

This is a fungal disease that causes discomfort. With this diagnosis, the baby will have a white coating on the tongue, the inner surface of the cheeks and the palate. It is because of thrush that a newborn can often "grimace". Check his mouth. If there is plaque, see a doctor.

2) Increased intracranial pressure.

A protruding organ of speech, together with a tilting of the head, may indicate increased pressure inside the infant's skull. If you notice these symptoms, contact your pediatrician immediately and get tested.

3) Anatomical features.

Sometimes the baby's lower jaw does not fit the tongue. Most likely, this is not a disease, but a specific anatomy of the skull. The increased size of this muscular organ may indicate congenital pathologies.

If the baby's tongue does not just stick out, but falls out, immediately go to the doctor. This symptom is typical for serious disorders in the body: from thyroid disease to facial muscle atrophy.

Thus, the protruding tongue of a newborn does not always indicate illness. If you still feel anxious about this, get tested. No pediatrician can forbid this.

Every newborn baby is special. But there are a number of physiological processes that are inherent in every child: waving arms, legs, stages of development of speech, emotions, etc. Also, some babies have a number of bad habits. For example, sucking fingers or sticking the tongue out of the mouth. But, if parents encounter the first bad habit very often, then the second encourages young mothers to be puzzled by the question: “Is this normal? Maybe a protruding tongue is neither a game, nor pampering, but a problem?

Newborn baby sticks out tongue: non-dangerous reasons

Before sounding the alarm and contacting a pediatrician, track in which cases the baby begins to show the tongue. There are a number of non-dangerous reasons why sticking out the tongue is considered the norm:

Teething. When the baby feels discomfort in the mouth due to swollen gums, parents can see how the baby runs the tongue over the gums and sticks it out. Usually this symptom is accompanied by strong salivation.
The child wants to eat. Newborns often show their tongue when they are hungry. This reflex is especially developed in children who are breastfed (thus they subconsciously look for the mother's breast).
Baby is hot. A protruding tongue may indicate that the baby is hot or thirsty. Showing the tongue, the baby increases the surface on which moisture is evaporated.
Big language. In some babies, the tongue may be larger than standard sizes at birth. Because of what it becomes crowded in the oral cavity. But you should not sound the alarm, because with age this small defect will be eliminated by itself.
The baby is training . The tongue is a muscle in the body that needs to be exercised. No one is surprised when the baby pulls his arms or legs. The same applies to the tongue.
mischief. Often the little ones show their tongues, copying their parents, who play with the baby in this way.

Why does a baby often stick out his tongue - an overview of possible diseases with symptoms in the table

Sometimes parents may notice that the child's tongue falls out of the mouth. If there are such signs or the baby does not put the tongue back for a long time, then you should consult a specialist. Below in the table we will consider what diseases can be accompanied by protrusion of the tongue.

Diseases that can cause a baby to stick out his tongue

A disease that prompts the baby to stick out the tongue	Associated symptoms of the disease	Which doctor to consult?	What examinations, tests and treatment can the doctor recommend?
Hypothyroidism	Hypothyroidism reduces thyroid function. In a baby with this ailment, the tongue falls out of the mouth. Also, the disease is accompanied by a strong increase in body weight or jaundice.	You need to consult an endocrinologist.	With this disease, a wide range of examinations is carried out: ultrasound, and urine, etc.
Atrophy of the facial muscles	With atrophy of the facial muscles, the baby not only sticks out his tongue, but also cannot control the facial muscles (does not smile, does not grimace)	In this case, the pediatrician may recommend contacting a neurologist.	To diagnose this disease, MRI or CT is performed. Medical treatment. Massage may also be recommended.
Thrush (candidiasis)	Often in a baby you can see white, cheeks and palate.	If you see a strange plaque in the baby's mouth, you should contact your pediatrician.	A swab from the oral cavity for a fungus (candida).
Stomatitis	With this disease, small ulcers can be seen in the oral cavity, which make the baby stick out the tongue due to discomfort, because the ulcers can also affect the lower part of the tongue.	In this case, it is worth contacting a pediatrician, who, in case of neglect of the disease, will refer you for a consultation with a pediatric dentist, immunologist or infectious disease specialist.	With stomatitis, the baby's oral cavity is examined. Your doctor may want to take a smear to rule out other oral diseases. Treat stomatitis with medication. Also, parents need to treat the crumbs' mouth with special decoctions or ointments to eliminate the disease.
Intracranial pressure (ICP)	If the baby sticks out the tongue, throwing his head back, then this is a clear sign of ICP. This symptom can even appear during sleep.	It is obligatory to consult a neuropathologist, who, if the diagnosis is confirmed, will prescribe medication and massage.	To determine this disease, an ultrasound examination (ultrasound) is performed.
Hypotonicity of the tongue	The baby's tongue is protruding and loose. Also immobile. It usually occurs in premature babies, as well as in those who have problems with the endocrine system.	For examination, consultation of a pediatrician and a neuropathologist is necessary.	The baby must undergo an ultrasound scan, after which drug therapy and physiotherapy are prescribed. Water procedures are often prescribed, since with hypotension the baby does not hold his head well and sits.

Why does a child 3-5 years old stick out his tongue when he does something?

The nervous system in children 3-5 years old is not yet particularly developed, so many children, when they are doing something exciting, can unconsciously stick out their tongue. When they concentrate their attention on some object (assembling a puzzle, constructor, drawing, etc.), the brain cannot yet keep track of all the processes, but this moment is the norm at this age. Over time, the baby will learn to control his body perfectly, and such situations will cease to occur.

Usually children 3-5 years old stick out their tongue when:

Doing something diligently. If the kid is serious about doing something (draw a picture, build a house out of details, etc.), then by concentrating his attention on monotonous, painstaking work, he can stick out his tongue.
They can't do something. If the child fails to do something the first time (color a picture, read a syllable, a letter), the brain does not follow all the processes because of this overstrain.
There are speech problems. In this case, when talking with the baby, you can see how he sticks out his tongue, trying to tell something. This problem is dealt with by a speech pathologist.
They act up or show character. In this case, you need to stop the child and not allow him such gestures, even if they come out involuntarily.

If there are no pathologies and diseases, then the problem of a protruding tongue “dissolves” by itself over time, when the baby grows up.

The body of a newborn baby, even after birth, continues to grow and improve. The child's muscles have not yet grown stronger and he does not always succeed in controlling his movements and facial expressions. That is why babies look so funny and funny. One of these uncontrolled movements is the protrusion of the tongue.

Baby can stick out tongue when hungry

How does this happen

If parents notice that their one-month-old baby often sticks out his tongue, this causes some anxiety. They wonder why he does it. In this case, it is necessary to carefully observe the child and analyze when he sticks out his tongue in the game, and when it happens involuntarily.

It is also worth paying special attention to the well-being of the child, his sleep, whether the child throws his head back while he sticks out his tongue, and whether he shows grimaces at the same time.

Protruding tongue while playing with parents is absolutely normal. After all, a one-month-old baby does not yet know the norms of ethics, and cannot control his joyful emotions from communicating with his parents. He wants to talk to mom and dad, but the baby still does not know how to do this.

If the tongue is constantly protruding, then this is macroglossia or an increased size of the tongue.

Advice to parents: if your baby sticks out the tongue and it is difficult for him to keep it in his mouth, if the child shows it too often, and also at the time when he sleeps, contact your pediatrician immediately.

The sooner you seek qualified help, the easier it will be to identify and cure the disease.

What are the reasons why the baby shows the tongue?

A month old baby can just play around and try to pronounce a certain sound. But he's still not good at it. After all, he is still very small. It is with such attempts that the protrusion of the tongue can turn out. This is an adequate response to the world that surrounds the baby. It can also happen when the baby is very passionate about something: playing with his parents, studying his arms or legs, crawling. In this case, there is no reason for concern.

The first teeth can disturb as early as 2 months

The protrusion of the tongue can tell parents that the child will soon start teething or swollen gums. At the same time, the gums begin to itch very strongly, itching appears, and the baby begins to use his tongue to scratch them or lightly massage the gums. Also, he can simply study his mouth with his tongue. In this case, do not worry.

If the baby sticks out his tongue very rarely, then you should not worry. Often this can be just a kind of exercise for the tongue.

If your baby is one of those babies who are bottle-fed, then the protrusion of the tongue indicates that the baby is tormented by thirst or hunger. When a baby sucks milk from a bottle, he uses his tongue very actively. It is by having such an association that the child shows that it is time to breed a new portion of the mixture.

Stomatitis irritates the tongue and the baby scratches it

A protruding tongue may indicate a lack of tactile contact with his beloved mother and remind her that she should devote all her time to her baby. If the baby is breastfed, then you can often notice that when the mother is not around, the child does not cry, but begins to suck the tongue, stick out, even chew it. These are absolutely normal phenomena, which indicate that the baby is incredibly longing for his mother's breasts.

The child can show and stick out the tongue when it gets hot. Instinctively, thus, the crumb increases the area of the evaporated liquid.

Advice to parents: do not leave the baby for a long time alone. Try to apply it to the chest on demand. This will promote close psychological contact between mother and child.

Possible diseases that the protruding tongue of a baby speaks of

Too frequent protrusion of the tongue should make parents pay attention to the baby's oral cavity. If you notice a white coating in the area of the tongue, cheeks and palate, then most likely this is an indicator of the presence of thrush in a child. This disease is a type of fungus, it is because of this that the baby has discomfort and not very unpleasant sensations in the mouth, and he begins to show and stick out his tongue, letting his mother know that something is bothering him. Also in this way the child alleviates his condition. Treatment of this disease requires urgent care of a pediatrician.

Thrush (candidiasis) causes severe itching in the mouth

If the baby's tongue often falls out and at the same time he constantly throws his head back, then this may indicate too high intracranial pressure.

If you notice such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor and find out why the child behaves this way.

The protrusion of a tongue by an infant may indicate the individual features of the structure of the skull. The tongue may simply not fit in a small mouth. Since its size exceeds the size of the oral cavity. This is not considered a disease, but, nevertheless, it is worth contacting a specialist if you notice that the child constantly sticks out and shows the tip of the tongue.

Pay attention to the size of the language. If the size of the tongue exceeds the norm, this may also indicate the presence of any congenital diseases.

Congenital hypothyroidism in infants - the cause of protruding tongue

A protruding tongue may indicate such a dangerous disease as hypothyroidism. This disease requires complex treatment. The diagnosis in this case can only be established by a specialist.

Advice to parents: If you notice that the tongue does not just protrude, but falls out, consult a doctor immediately. It is this symptom that can indicate the presence of a very serious disease: from problems with the thyroid gland to atrophy of the facial muscles.

If you are very worried about the protruding tongue syndrome of your crumbs, do not be shy, but it is better to immediately go to the doctor for a consultation. This is how you keep your baby healthy. Be vigilant and attentive to your children.

All mothers are worried about the moment when the baby sticks out his tongue. However, this does not always become a reason for excitement and turning to specialists. But there are times when such an action serves as a signal of the disease.

What to do if a child sticks out his tongue

First of all, mothers should carefully observe the behavior of their baby. Only in this way will it be possible to understand whether the child feels well, since he still cannot speak and complain about some problem, besides this, he has not yet developed a habit of the world that surrounds him, and many things are incomprehensible and arouse interest. If a baby sticks out his tongue, this is not always a symptom of a pathological condition, but a normal response to something.

To understand why a newborn sticks out his tongue, and whether you need to run to the doctor, it is first important to answer some questions:

How often does this phenomenon occur?. If this happens up to 5 times a day, then there is nothing serious. This frequency is considered normal. If the indicators are higher, then it is necessary to analyze the situation, understand the reason, and observe the behavior for some more time.
How does the child feel. Can a condition when a newborn shows his tongue be a sign of illness. Pay attention to the skin, eyes, lips and hair. Is there an appetite.
When does this kind of thing happen?- before or after the feeding process, when he sees his father or older sister or brother. Whether shaking of the upper and lower limbs is observed at that time.

It is also necessary to figure out which factors are safe, and under which there is cause for concern and a sign that the child needs to be shown to a specialist.

7 Reasons You Don't Need to Worry

Most often the cause can be overindulgence

Moms who still have little experience in communicating with young children will be concerned about why the baby sticks out his tongue and how dangerous it can be.

Most of the time there is no cause for concern., since this behavior is due to some harmless factors:

Eruption of the first teeth. It is normal for a newborn to stick out their tongue. The gums swell, which arouses interest in the baby, and he explores the changes. In the period of 4-6 months, such a reason is considered common.. Discomfort forces the child to scratch the gums, which is accompanied by the display of the tongue.
Pampering or play. If the baby shows the tongue, then he can copy the behavior of an adult. It must be remembered that everything around the baby is new for him and causes interest in research. It may be that he is trying to repeat any sounds, but all that comes out in the end is just a baby showing his tongue. There is no reason to worry when the baby makes faces or mimics chewing.
Lack of attention. By sticking out his tongue, the child tries to attract the attention of his mother. Such a signal symbolizes that he needs care and affection, and wants to be held in his arms..
Development. During the wakefulness of the crumbs, no one has anxiety when he moves his legs or arms. There are also muscles in the mouth that require constant training. And when in the next child showed the tongue, you should not pay attention to it. It's just a charger.
Big size. In medicine, there are many cases when the tongue is large from the norm. The problem disappears by 5-7 months.
Uncomfortable temperature. In this case, the baby sticks out his tongue to cool the body when he is hot.

With a good mood and condition of the baby, there is no reason for concern why he often sticks out his tongue. Each child has an individual development. However, it is worth paying attention to those symptoms that may indicate the presence of deviations in health.

Factors indicating pathology

If the tongue does not just stick out, but falls out, then you should seek medical help.

However, there are warning signs, with the appearance of which parents need to pay special attention to the condition of the baby. These include:

sleep disorders;
increased moodiness and nervousness;
blue tint of the nasolabial triangle;
arching the body with an arc and;
protruding when lying on the back, or when the child is sleeping.

Similar symptoms indicate that the baby needs to be shown to the pediatrician. During the examination, it will be possible to understand the reasons and go through additional specialists.

If a newborn sticks out his tongue all the time, then he may have health problems, and one of the pathologies listed below occurs.

Features of hypotonicity - the tongue is sluggish and inactive

A distinctive feature of such a disease is friability, inactivity and lethargy of the organ.

The risk group is made up of children who have been diagnosed with an endocrine system disease or infection, and premature babies.

The cause of hypotension can be an injury that was during childbirth. The main signs of pathology:

decrease in activity;
sleep for a long time;
low body weight (on what weight gain in newborns depends, read);
there are no emotions characteristic of this age (capriciousness, crying);
underdeveloped sucking reflex;
absence and sit, at the appropriate age for this.

To make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, it is necessary to show the baby to a pediatrician and a neurologist. In addition to drug therapy, massage, physiotherapy and water treatments are prescribed.

A feature of hypothyroidism is a clear inhibition in development, as well as an edematous tongue that does not fit in the mouth.

Causes thyroid disorders. The congenital form can be diagnosed as early as the 2nd month of a child's life.

The risk of acquiring the disease increases in those children whose mothers during pregnancy had a lack of iodine in the body.

If there is a suspicion of a pathology, then even in the maternity hospital, a blood sample is taken from the newborn from the heel. With a negative result of the analysis, the reason why the child pulls out the tongue lies in another problem.

Hypothyroidism is accompanied by:

lagging behind in development;
yellowish tinge of the skin;
dense outlines of the oval face;
dry skin;
swelling of the tongue;
underweight;
cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle.

The diagnosis is made by a pediatrician or endocrinologist.

Increased intracranial pressure

Infants with ICP benefit from massage and therapeutic exercises

It is characterized by signs of a neurological nature:

tilting the head;
bad sleep;
muscular;
large head circumference;
elevation of the fontanel.

Depending on which area is affected, you may need to consult an ophthalmologist, neurologist or pediatrician.

Surveys:

tomography;
brain ultrasound;
fundus examination.

As a therapeutic therapy, drugs that improve blood circulation, diuretic action, vitamins and herbal decoctions are used. In addition, massage and physiotherapy exercises are prescribed.

Painful sores cause an unpleasant sensation with stomatitis

Various pathogenic microorganisms become provocateurs of the disease:

herpes virus;
toxins;
bacteria;
fungus.

At the age of one month, in most cases, a candidal form of stomatitis is diagnosed, which is characterized by:

Redness of the oral mucosa.
Lack of appetite.
Anxiety during sleep.
Ulcers on the palate, on the inside of the cheeks and on the tongue.

Due to discomfort, increased tearfulness and moodiness of the baby appears. For effective treatment of pathology, you will need to visit an immunologist, an infectious disease specialist and a pediatric dentist.

Candidiasis

Against the background of diseases of a fungal nature, as a rule, the oral cavity is affected, which prompts the baby to stick out his tongue. Symptoms of thrush are pronounced. These include:

the appearance of a plaque resembling a curd mass, white, then gray;
mucosal redness.

In this case, the child is shown to a pediatrician, an infectious disease specialist and a dermatologist.

Treatment is prescribed only after consultation with a doctor and after all examinations.

Hello! My daughter, 6 months old, somewhere from 2 weeks of life, began to notice that the child often had her tongue sticking out, at 1 month the neurologist showed up to specialists in conclusion, she wrote to the PCNS and prescribed electrophoresis and massage. They did an ultrasound of the brain a month, everything is in order. I myself had a thyroid gland removed (I had DTG 2 tbsp.) I was on hormones throughout my pregnancy, every month I took tests, everything was normal, I was under the control of an endocrinologist. She gave birth at the Almazov Perinatal Center. The birth was quick, they brought me already with a dilatation of 4 cm, after an hour the dilatation was already 8, but there were no painful contractions, and I was connected to a dropper, I don’t know why, and I gave birth in an hour, the baby is large 4100 54 cm. 8/9 on a scale Apgar. at 2 months I took her to the endocrinologist, they tested for hormones, everything is normal. One doctor, an endocrinologist, said after 3 months to leave breastfeeding. I take Euthyrox 88, consulted with other endocrinologists, they said that it is possible and necessary to feed. As a result, I still breastfeed. My daughter is very restless and often cries. It was hard to put to sleep, for the first three months she could only sleep upright, we had problems with the tummy. She sucks her breast well, we gain weight also well 600-800 grams per month. Now we already weigh 8200, height 68 cm. The child is very excited, always often breathes through his mouth, I try to close his mouth with his nose for some reason, he doesn’t want to breathe, he immediately opens his mouth and breathe with it, they said everything was normal at the ENT, just narrow nasal passages. We drip an aqualor into the nose, we often air it in the room. at 2.5 months they did electrophoresis, at 3 months they underwent a course of massage, another neurologist diagnosed us with adjusting torticollis, they did ultrasound of the cervical vertebrae, in conclusion, instability of the C2-C3-C4 vertebrae. We visited an osteopath once, the child began to sleep even more restlessly. Often wakes up at night, cries, recently she began to throw her head back, and for about 3 months she constantly rubs her eyes, at the same time her eyes are not swollen. We turned over at three months, now we are already spinning in all directions, standing on outstretched arms, spinning on our stomach, trying to crawl, but we can’t get out yet, we don’t sit still. Were at the neurologist at 6 months wrote in the conclusion of the PTCNS and SOS. No drugs were ever prescribed, only massage. Soon we will start the second course of massage. When asked why the child sticks out his tongue, they don’t say anything, one neurologist tells you that it’s a pity to let him stick out, another said that when they get stronger, they will remove weak facial muscles, the third neurologist said that it is because of the neck and you need to go again to the osteopath, the osteopath said that if sucks well, no big deal. As a result, it’s already been 6 months and we haven’t removed the tongue and she sometimes sleeps with her tongue hanging out, sucking on it, I’m worried. I'm afraid to miss something big. I read that this is a sign of ICP or endocrinology has already gone through so many doctors but they didn’t say anything intelligible, maybe it’s worth doing a second ultrasound of the brain? My friend's child had something similar, they drank pantogam, glycine, massage, an osteopath and passed. Tell me what protruding tongue, frequent tantrums, restless sleep (wakes up 5 times a night, sleep together) can be connected with? Also, we're not good at getting on our feet.