Scope of Practice for IBCLCs and Identifying via Social Media

Abstract

As we describe in “When Tongue-Ties Were Missed: Mothers’ Stories,” tongue-tie is often missed and mothers suffer as a result. Furthermore, many health-care providers do not believe that tongue-tie is real. These realities have often left IBCLCs out on the frontiers as possibly the only health-care providers in their communities who recognize tongue-tie. In addition, mothers have found experts, and each other, on social media. What is within the Scope of Practice for IBCLCs in these situations? Our panelists describe some of challenges of practicing in the age of social media and when tongue-tie is disregarded. The Scope-of-Practice issues are also described in “IBCLC Scope of Practice for Tongue-Tie Assessment.”