Can’t say ‘R’ or ‘L’ yet? It might not just be baby talk.

At 5 years of age, most children are chatterboxes — forming sentences, expressing emotions, and telling stories (even wild ones!). But what if your child’s words are still unclear, muffled, or difficult to understand?

Parents often ask:


👉 “Is it a tongue problem?”


👉 “Do we need speech therapy?”


👉 “Does my child need tongue tie surgery?”

Let’s break it down.

👅 What is a Tongue Tie?

A tongue tie is when the tissue (lingual frenulum) under the tongue is too short or tight, restricting movement. It can cause:

• Difficulty sticking the tongue out

• Trouble licking, sucking, or clearing food from teeth

• Speech issues — particularly sounds like t, d, l, r, s, z

But here’s the catch:
Not all speech issues are caused by a tongue tie.
And not all tongue ties need surgery.

🧠 Other Causes of Unclear Speech in 5-Year-Olds:

• Delayed speech/language development

• Hearing problems (often due to undiagnosed ear infections)

• Oral muscle weakness or poor coordination

• Habitual mispronunciation (articulation disorder)

• Multilingual confusion (common in Indian homes!)

👩‍⚕️ How Do You Know What’s Causing It?

Your first step:
📍 Visit a Pediatric Dentist or ENT to check for tongue tie.
They’ll assess tongue mobility, appearance, and function.

Your second step:
📍 Speech-language evaluation by a certified speech therapist (SLP).
They assess whether your child’s speech issues are:

• Developmental (will improve with time)

• Articulation-based (needs therapy)

• Structural (needs surgical correction)

✂️ Does My Child Need Tongue Tie Surgery?

Only if:

• The tongue can’t move freely enough for feeding, speaking, or oral hygiene

• It’s confirmed by both dentist and speech therapist

• Speech therapy alone isn’t improving function

Surgery (frenectomy) is safe and quick when done by trained professionals — but it’s never the first step.

💬 Takeaway:

If your 5-year-old isn’t speaking clearly:

✅ Don’t jump to surgery.


✅ Get a thorough evaluation from a pediatric dentist + speech therapist.


✅ Early speech therapy can do wonders — the earlier you start, the better the outcomes.

🔔 Parent Reminder:

You're not alone, and your child is not “behind.” Every tongue, every brain, and every child develops at their own pace — some just need a little extra support.

Book a consult at Smile Safari Dental Clinic, where we specialise in child-friendly tongue tie assessments, myofunctional evaluations, and can guide you on whether your child truly needs speech therapy or surgical correction.

📍 Let’s bring back your child’s confident smile — one word at a time!