Cleft Lip and Palate - Our Personal Story

Cleft Lip and Palate Story

I will never forget the day my wife told me that they are going to have another son, we were trying to delay having children after my first son was born, but as usual, life has its own schedule and you have only to follow along and go with the flow. After the initial shock I am excited though, because my first son was going to have a brother and a father and as a typical sports fan, you start telling yourself, "Wow a boy to get ready for the big leagues."

As for the second time parents were less stressed about how to prepare for our second visit and we started to do a typical preparation, so we thought. On the day we went to get an ultrasound the doctor noticed something unusual about my son and informed us that they will be born with a cleft lip based on his observation. Now we know what it means at the time, but I notice the doctor a tone of voice changes from serenity to concerns from there we knew we had a situation to deal with.

The doctor explained to us the challenges of our son was going to have, but what is even worse part is not knowing the seriousness of his cleft lip was going to be. Needless to say, this time in our lives was one of the most difficult we had to deal with, but as time went by we started to educate yourself and seeing pictures of other children born with cleft lips did help a little, but because of all the mountains of information out there and different surgery to choose from, it creates even more stress for us.


Fortunately God has helped us a guide in the right direction and we found a doctor in South Florida who is new to the area and was using new and modern techniques to help children born with cleft lip and palate assured us everything was going to be fine.

When the day came for my wife's birth I remember the nervous, but do not show that tries to convince his wife everything was going fine, when it was delivered even though I immediately noticed a cleft lip and unfortunately, his palate was carried out, and I could not keep back the sadness and started crying, because no matter how you try to prepare yourself, when you see a child that will be difficult, to be honest with you, but after that i began to notice the real grandeur of our beautiful son's eyes, long legs, hair, ears, chest, arms, hands and a nice talent.

At this point, I realized that I was fortunate to have such a beautiful son in my life, unfortunately, my special day was ruined for the moment when an ignorant sister made ​​a comment about my son in no time, I had to educate her and she put in place.

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Returning Smiles to Those Affected With Cleft Lip Palate

Affected With Cleft Lip Palate

There's nothing more heartwarming than a smile and engaging child. It's innocent, sometimes toothed smile allows us to share a moment of joy with a boy who is priceless.

That smile might belong to the boy as he cools below the sprinkler. Or maybe you belong to neighborhood child is pure luck in getting her face licked a new puppy.

Child's smile can have a way to transport us back to a more simple and honest during our childhood, providing a temporary escape from the often complicated world of adults.

However, the simple act of flashing a smile is a little more involved and painful for some children. Nearly 1 in 750 babies are born with cleft lip palate, the fourth most newborns in the United States, according to the Central New York Cleft and craniofacial center.

Cleft lip palate facial malformations that develops in the early stages of pregnancy. A cleft palate occurs when the tissue forming the lips do not close completely, creating a gap between the child's nose and upper mouth. This congenital defect also affects the roof of the mouth, causing a deviation or displacement of teeth. Speech problems are common in connection with this strain.

Serious ear problems are another major complications often associated with cleft lip palate. Improper operation and fishing on the Eustachian tube can lead to accumulation of infections caused by bacteria that can eventually lead to deafness.


Cleft palate repair and treatment 

As heartbreaking as it May be for families to receive news that their child has a cleft lip palate, it is reassuring to know health care professionals now have a wealth of experience in the treatment of physical handicap.

Such as surgical procedures become more refined, experts from different disciplines often join forces to deal with multiple health problems associated with cleft lip palate. These include:

Otolaryngologists: Also known as ear, nose and throat specialist. Treat ear problems and other possible complications of sinusitis.

Maxillofacial Surgeons: Responsible for the repair of cleft lip palate.

Plastic Surgeons: An attempt to normalize the patient's face through the reform and restructuring of the area affected by cleft palate.

Nutritionists: feeding confronts obstacles associated with cleft lip palate in order to ensure children receive proper nutrition.

Speech therapist: Addresses patient's language and communication skills.

Several specialty health care facilities primarily focusing on the repair and treatment of cleft palate and cleft lip now exist throughout the country. Many of these facilities are a team of experts mentioned in order to increase the quality of short-and long-term treatment. Post-surgery care can last for years as the medical staff to keep close watch on the development of speech and other areas affected by cleft lip palate as patients get older.

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