In-Touch: Beyond the Tongue- From Structure to Function: Manual Therapy Perspectives on Tongue Ties and Feeding presented by Jean Anne Zollars
*In-Touch: Beyond the Tongue- From Structure to Function: Manual Therapy Perspectives on Tongue Ties and Feeding presented by Jean Anne Zollars February 3, 2026
Teacher:
February 3, 2026 7:00 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada), approximately 1 hour
Tongue ties, especially associated with breastfeeding issues, are common referrals for manual therapists. What anatomical, physiological and neurological aspects of tongue affect the tongue and breastfeeding? This session will focus on the structural and functional anatomy of the cranium, mouth and tongue, specifically related to breastfeeding. Typical cranial and neck restrictions arising from in-utero constraint and the birth process will be discussed. Assessment and manual therapy treatment will be presented.
Review anatomy and physiology of the mouth and tongue and related structures.
Discuss what tissues are tight with posterior tongue tie, and potential causes.
Discuss assessment and treatment considerations with infants with a posterior tongue tie.
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Note: If unable to join the live zoom, no worries, still register and we will share the recorded program with you after the program.
Jean Anne Zollars, PT, DPT, MA, BI-D received her BS from Ithaca College, MA in Rehabilitation Technology from San Francisco State University, and a DPT from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Using an integrative physical therapy model, she treats both adults and children through her private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her special devotion to children of the world led her to be trained in Neurodevelopmental Treatment, and to write “Special Seating: An Illustrated Guide” published in 2010. In 2024 Pediatric Manual Therapy: Visceral and Neuromeningeal Manipulation Volume 1 was released. It is a two-part series, with the second Volume released early 2025. Guided by the question, “is there more we can do to help children?”, she discovered Visceral Manipulation in 1991 and began teaching with the Barral Institute in 2004. She now teaches Visceral Manipulation, Neuromeningeal Manipulation, and Visceral Applications for Pediatrics, both in the USA and internationally.
Jean Anne Zollars’ career, characterized by her innovative approach, dedication to continuous learning, and her leadership in the field, has made a profound impact on the world of pediatric physical therapy.
Further reading & study: For those interested in diving deeper into Jean Anne Zollars’ work, her two-part book series Pediatric Manual Therapy: Visceral & Neuromeningeal Manipulation (Vol. 1 & 2) offers in-depth exploration of visceral, neural, and autonomic approaches in pediatrics. You can find details and order the books here: Barral Institute — Neural & Visceral Manipulation for Infants https://info.barralinstitute.com/neural-and-visceral-manipulation-for-infants-with-torticollis-and-plagiocephaly
In this two-part series, Pediatric Manual Therapy: Visceral and Neuromeningeal Manipulation by Jean Anne Zollars, discover how these profound manual therapies, developed by French osteopath Jean-Pierre Barral are adapted for newborns, babies, and young children.
These books:
• Help the manual therapist treat pediatric patients with common conditions such as reflux, colic, tongue tie, gassiness, and constipation by differentiating whether the visceral distress is from dysfunction in the organ, the autonomic nervous system, cranium, fascia, or a combination of these structures. • Give guidance for assessing and treating babies and children with autonomic nervous system dysregulation, particularly as it relates to trauma, often presenting as irritability, difficulty sleeping, constant crying, hyperactivity, reflux, or inability to make eye contact with the caregiver. • Contain information specific to assessing and treating pediatric patients with cerebral palsy, torticollis, plagiocephaly, prematurity, medical trauma, and delayed milestones such as crawling. • Distill applicable information on embryology and neuromotor development, condensing relevant knowledge from shelves of texts and resources into a few concise chapters. • Emphasize how the baby’s or child’s tissues guide treatment, especially important for babies or nonverbal children.
Volume 1 takes the manual therapist through the step-by-step assessment and treatment approach for the baby or child, specifically for the autonomic nervous system, regulation, and the neuromeningeal system. It concludes with case studies integrating Visceral and Neuromeningeal Manipulation with pediatric therapy.
Volume 2 continues with the assessment and treatment approaches focusing on the organs using Visceral Manipulation.
Get started with Visceral Manipulation 1 (VM1) with this basic Starter Kit which includes Visceral Manipulation (VM1 text book), Understanding Your Organs Trifold Reference Chart, Pathway to Health book, and a 1-Year IAHP Medallion Membership.
