No, the 1997 2.0 sohc. Ford escort is Not a interference engine. It is a Freewheeling type. Interference refers to the non-ability of the engine to freewheel out of valve time. Interference engines DO cause damage if the timing belt breaks.
As a pediatrician this is a common concern I hear from parents of newborns. Sticking your tongue out is better known as tongue protrusion. It is when the tongue sticks out beyond the lip border for all to see. Since tongue protrusion is one of the Characteristics of Down syndrome, new parents often ask,
When the thumb anchors the tongue down and forward and serves to reinforce an incorrect rest posture of the tongue, an inaccurate and inappropriate spring-off point for speech sound production occurs. Some sounds may be produced incorrectly. When the tongue is resting low and forward, the production of a frontal /t/d/n/l/, or interdental /s/ lisp may occur. When a sucking habit occurs in two or more settings, this defines the sucking behavior as a chronic habit.