Members of IATP, and more importantly… friends and colleagues,
We, the board of directors of the International Affiliation of Tongue Tie Professionals (IATP) hope that you are finding peace while managing your home and work life in this worldwide crisis of COVID-19.
As we practice in the field of ankyloglossia and frenectomy procedures for feeding, speech, and airway, etc. issues, there are no recommendations for proceeding with this procedure specifically.
IATP would like to reiterate the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, the CDC recommends limiting procedures to emergent cases only.
https://www.cdc.gov/…/2019…/healthcare-facilities/index.html
https://www.who.int/emergen…/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
IATP supports a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment which includes release providers, primary care providers, lactation support, and bodywork support. Our current recommendation is to lean on and more importantly, refer to the support providers that can help families manage the time between the onset of symptoms or initial suspicion of ankyloglossia and the time when we can safely bring families back to the office for an assessment and/or release. There are bodywork and lactation providers that offer support remotely. Additionally, some insurance providers have liberalized their compensation for distance support.
IATP also encourages our members to follow the recommendations from their own governing bodies.
Please refer to the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) recommendations for lactation consultants and lactation support during this time. http://ilca.org/COVID-19/
If you as a provider or one of your clients need support for mental health during this crisis, please visit the CDC website below for recommendations.
https://www.cdc.gov/…/…/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Thank you for your continued work with families in need. This is an ever-evolving situation, and changes to recommendations may be forthcoming. The IATP Board of Directors supports you and is here for you. Please reach out to us as needed. You may contact us via our website at https://tonguetieprofessionals.org/contact/.
Kindly,
IATP Board of Directors
https://tonguetieprofessionals.org/