THE RELEVANCE OF THE SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST'S ROLE IN SCREENING AND EVALUATING THE LINGUAL FRENULUM IN MATERNITY WARDS

Abstract

The development of orofacial functions in the neonatal period is directly related to the integrity of anatomical structures and their functionality, with the lingual frenulum being an essential element in this process. Alterations in this structure, such as ankyloglossia, may impair tongue mobility and negatively impact sucking and breastfeeding. In this context, the role of the speech-language pathologist in maternity settings, through early screening and assessment, becomes essential for the identification and appropriate intervention of these alterations. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the relevance of the speech-language pathologist’s role in the screening and assessment of the lingual frenulum in neonates within maternity settings. This is a bibliographic review of a descriptive nature with a qualitative approach. Scientific articles, dissertations, and theses published in the last five years in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included, addressing the assessment of the lingual frenulum in neonates, speech-language pathology practice, ankyloglossia, sucking, and breastfeeding. The search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, using specific descriptors combined with Boolean operators. The selection process was carried out through the reading of titles, abstracts, and full texts, according to previously established inclusion and exclusion criteria. As results, 10 studies were analyzed, highlighting the importance of early screening of the lingual frenulum for identifying alterations that may interfere with neonatal oral functions. The studies indicated that the role of the speech-language pathologist significantly contributes to accurate diagnosis, proper management of breastfeeding difficulties, and the prevention of future complications in speech development and orofacial motricity. Divergences were also identified in the literature regarding the direct relationship between ankyloglossia and breastfeeding difficulties, emphasizing the need for individualized functional assessment. It is concluded that speech-language pathology screening and assessment of the lingual frenulum in neonates are essential for health promotion and the proper development of orofacial functions. However, it is observed that research on this topic is still limited, reinforcing the need for further studies to expand scientific evidence and strengthen the role of speech- language pathologists in maternity settings.