What is Macroglossia? | Nicklaus Children's Hospital (2024)

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What is Macroglossia? | Nicklaus Children's Hospital? ›

Macroglossia is the medical term for an abnormally large tongue that is present at birth. In some cases, surgery is required to treat the problem and help the child eat, breathe, and speak more easily.

Macroglossia is defined as a resting tongue that protrudes beyond the teeth or alveolar ridge [1].

Macroglossia is the medical term used to describe an unusually large tongue. This usually occurs due to an increase in tissue, rather than a growth. It may also be referred to as giant tongue or enlarged tongue.

The consequences of macroglossia usually include possible dysfunction of the orthognathic system, breathing and speech problems, increased mandibular size, open bite, tooth spacing and other dentoskeletal problems.

[12] In some cases, macroglossia is spontaneously corrected due to more pronounced orofacial growth to accommodate the tongue. [13] Most cases can be managed conservatively without the need for surgery.

Macroglossia is the most common oral symptom of amyloidosis. Hypothyroidism: This is a common condition where your thyroid doesn't create and release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. This makes your metabolism slow down. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of macroglossia in children.

Children with macroglossia have tongues that are disproportionately large for their mouths. In some cases, the tongue may protrude from the mouth and interfere with the child's tooth placement, ability to eat, and/or speech development.

Some children with an enlarged tongue are unable to produce the sounds p, b, and m with both lips together which is the normal way to produce these sounds and they make these sounds with the tongue against the top lip.

Although the exact incidence of macroglossia in the general population is unknown (because the etiologies are too numerous to quantify), the condition is found in some congenital syndromes, such as Down syndrome (1 per 700 live births) and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (0.07 per 1000 live births).

How do you investigate macroglossia? ›

Imaging Studies

Computed tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - Helpful if macroglossia is interfering with the airway, especially in severe obstructive sleep apnea; such studies are also obtained to help delineate the extent of tumors and aid in planning for surgical resection.

Macroglossia is usually caused by an underlying condition. When it's present at birth, it's often caused by genetic disorders like Down syndrome or congenital hypothyroidism. It can also develop later in life due to physical trauma, acromegaly, acquired hypothyroidism, or inflammatory conditions.

Macroglossia is characterized by an enlarged and thick tongue that may have fissures and ulcers, may cause language alterations, difficulties for feeding and swallowing, sialorrhea and recurrent infections of the upper airway or even its obstruction.

Vitamin deficiencies, particularly Vitamin B12, cause B12 deficiency glossitis (inflammation of the tongue) mimicking macroglossia [1].

Vitamin deficiencies, particularly Vitamin B12, cause B12 deficiency glossitis (inflammation of the tongue) mimicking macroglossia [1].

Inherited or congenital disorders associated with Macroglossia include Down syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, primary amyloidosis, and congenital hypothyroidism. Acquired causes may include trauma, cancer, endocrine disorders, and inflammatory or infectious diseases.

Babies stick out their tongues for many reasons, such as to signal hunger, fullness, or dislike of a certain food. Babies over 6 months of age may stick out their tongue intentionally as a means of imitating or communicating with their parent or caregiver. However, often there is no clear cause.