CLINICOEPIDEMIOLOGICAL FINDINGS AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT PRESENTING WITH SUSPECTED ANKYLOGLOSSIA IN OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY PRACTICE AT A TERTIARY INSTITUTION.

Background: Ankyloglossia is a congenital oral anomaly with varying timing and modality of presentation. This study aimed to determine the epidemiology, clinical presentations, and management of children and adolescents with ankyloglossia at an otorhinolaryngological practice at a tertiary institution in Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, hospital-based study of all children and adolescent patients who presented with tongue-tie in the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. The study was carried out over a period of 10 years. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were administered to consenting patients to obtain data. Data obtained were collated and analysed using SPSS version 23. Data were expressed using frequency tables, percentages, bar and pie charts. Results: A total of 18,431 patients were seen over the study period (2014 to 2023) out of which 94 (0.51%) presented with complaints of tongue-tie and 43 (0.23%) were diagnosed with ankyloglossia. Among the patients who presented with tongue tie, the peak age group was 1-5 years. There was male preponderance with a maleto- female ratio of 2.8:1.0. Urban dwellers accounted for 59.6%. There was no family history of ankyloglossia in the majority of the cases. Parents brought the patients in 45(47.9%) of the cases. The commonest presenting complaint was challenge with verbal communication among the patients as seen in 51(54.3%) of the patients presenting with tongue tie. No prior intervention was instituted in 8.5% while family physicians treated 43.6%. Normal tongue was recorded in 51(54.3%) cases. Ankyloglossia was diagnosed in 43(45.7%) cases, and other diagnoses included delayed developmental milestones in 23.4% and articulation disorder in 19.1%. In those with confirmed ankyloglossia, the commonest degree of ankyloglossia was mild (class 1) ankyloglossia. The commonest surgical treatment offered to patients diagnosed with tongue- tie was frenulotomy in 33(76.7%) cases. Conclusion: Understanding the anatomical definition of ankyloglossia is significant in the diagnosis and management of patients because many patients were wrongly diagnosed and treated for ankyloglossia. Hearing assessment should be done on children with suspected ankyloglossia because of possible articulation problems. Some of the patients that could not communicate properly were found to have hearing problems and not ankyloglossia.