Is it normal for babies to stick out their tongues? what are the reasons?

Since birth, babies use various ways to be able to communicate with those around them. One way of communicating is that the baby sticks out or pulls out his tongue. There are various reasons for babies to do this. What are the reasons and when should parents worry about the habit?

Why do babies stick out their tongues?

Babies sticking out their tongues is actually normal. When sticking out the tongue, the baby gives many meanings depending on the situation and age of the baby. The following are various reasons:

Imitate parents

Babies often play by imitating the facial expressions of their parents. Sticking out the tongue is the easiest thing to do when the baby is playing. Sometimes, babies do this to get their parents' attention to do the same.

Gives a sign of being full or hungry

During breastfeeding, a baby who sticks out his tongue is one of the first signs that the baby is hungry. In addition, this condition can also mean that he is full. Usually, this is done simultaneously by moving the head or pushing against the mother's breast or milk bottle.

Indicates not ready to eat

Although pediatricians recommend giving babies a food other than milk for babies aged 6 months, not all babies are ready to do it at that age. There are times when a baby refuses to accept food other than milk by sticking out its tongue. This can also happen if you want to improve the texture of your baby's food, while he is not ready.

Conditions that need to be watched out for when the baby sticks out his tongue excessively

Babies sticking out their tongues is indeed a normal thing, but if this is done continuously, there could be things to worry about. You may need to take him to the doctor for a checkup. For that, it's good for you to understand the various reasons or meanings of babies who like to stick out their tongues.

Apart from some of the reasons above, babies who like to stick out their tongue can occur because there are other conditions in the baby. Here are some of these conditions:

Bigger baby tongue

If your baby likes sticking out his tongue, take a look at his tongue. It could be that your child has a tongue size that is larger than the size of the average baby. This condition can occur due to several things, such as genetic factors, abnormal blood vessels, or improper development of the muscles in the tongue.

Worse, this condition can also be caused by a tumor on the tongue. Immediately take your child to the doctor if the frequent tongue is accompanied by difficulty swallowing, too much baby's saliva, or difficulty eating.

Small mouth size

If you like sticking out your tongue, your baby may also have a small mouth. This condition can be due to genetic factors or it may also be a sign of certain syndromes, such as cleft lip or symptoms down syndrome.

Decreased muscle tone (Hypotonia symptom)

The tongue is moved by muscles. With weak muscle tone, the baby's tongue becomes frequently protruded. This condition may show symptoms of several syndromes, such asdown syndromeor Celebral Palsy. However, it should also be noted that the symptoms of these diseases are not only a decrease in the muscle tone of the tongue.

Nasal congestion

If your little one's tongue is sticking out at the same time as the baby has difficulty breathing, sneezing, has a widened nose, or makes unusual breathing sounds, it could be due to a cold or nasal congestion.

Swollen glands in the mouth

Sometimes, babies have glands in the mouth that are swollen so that the tongue is often removed. This might happen if the tongue sticks out more than usual, the baby refuses to eat, or you see a lump on the tongue. Immediately consult a doctor because this condition may occur because there is an infection in the mouth or worse due to oral cancer.

If your baby likes sticking out his tongue and shows the symptoms above, it's a good idea to immediately take your baby to the doctor for an immediate diagnosis with proper treatment.