Abstract

Ankyloglossia and Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) are commonly found in the pediatric population and often co-occur. It is a widely held belief that ankyloglossia affects speech and causes SSDs. Children with ankyloglossia and SSDs are often referred for surgery to improve speech. This literature review compared the results of studies that examined the impact of ankyloglossia or its surgical treatment on children’s speech. Only the studies in which a Speech and Language Therapist objectively assessed speech with a standardised assessment were included. Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven studies were included in the final review. Three studies measured the effect of ankyloglossia, while four studies measured the effect of its surgical treat-ment on children’s speech. One study found that ankyloglossia impacts children’s speech, while three others confirmed a positive effect of surgical treatment. Based on the findings of included studies, a cause-and-effect relationship between ankyloglossia and SSDs cannot be confirmed with certainty. The majority of included studies report positive effects of surgery on children’s speech, however significant study limitations persist. More rigorous research is needed to help guide clinical decision-making on the surgical treatment of ankyloglossia to improve SSDs.

Key words: ankyloglossia, surgical treatment, Speech Sound Disorders, speech, children