What should I do if my child cannot stick out the tongue straight and speaks unclearly?

If a child cannot extend their tongue properly and has unclear speech, different treatment methods can be chosen depending on the underlying cause. Common causes include developmental delay, short lingual frenulum (tongue-tie), and sublingual gland cysts.

1. Developmental Delay

If developmental delay affects normal neurological function, leading to speech impairment, medications that nourish the nerves—such as mecobalamin tablets, oryzanol tablets, and vitamin B1 tablets—may be used under medical guidance to regulate nerve function. Additionally, regularly communicating with the child in daily life can help improve their language expression skills.

2. Short Lingual Frenulum

If the lingual frenulum is too short, restricting the tongue from extending out of the mouth and affecting pronunciation, surgical treatments such as lingual frenulotomy or lingual frenulum lengthening surgery may be recommended by a physician.

3. Sublingual Gland Cyst

If a sublingual gland cyst causes swelling in the floor of the mouth and restricts tongue movement, antibiotics such as cephalosporins may be prescribed to reduce inflammation. Commonly used medications include cefradine capsules, cefuroxime axetil tablets, and cefaclor capsules. If necessary, surgical options such as simple cyst excision or removal of both the cyst and sublingual gland may be considered based on the doctor's advice.

In addition, epilepsy could also be a possible cause, which should be treated according to medical guidance.