As a parent all you can ask for is that your child is both healthy and happy. If your child was born with a cleft lip or palate, you might think the worst and let your anxiety get the best of you. And although a cleft lip or palate is far from ideal, there are surgical procedures that we do here at Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants that can help to restore your both your child’s appearance and functionality. Read on to learn more about these procedures.
Cleft Lip Surgery
Our office recommends that cleft lip surgery be done when an infant is approximately 3 months old. During the surgical procedure an entire team will be involved including pediatricians, speech pathologists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and more in order to ensure that your child gets the best results possible. Although a scar will be visible directly following the surgery, the scar will eventually fade and not be visible.
Cleft Palate Surgery
As a more serious condition, a cleft palate requires immediate surgery which involves a few weeks of recovery and will require medication and medical treatment. During the surgery, the opening in the roof of the mouth will be closed up by rebuilding the palate and joining the muscle together. After surgery, your infant should slowly be able to learn to eat properly. Additionally, during recovery and as your child ages, it will be recommended that they see a speech pathologist in order to help them enunciate and speak properly as their palate continues to heal and form properly.
Both cleft lip and cleft palates are birth defects that are very serious but that are also very treatable. Here at Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants we know just how important the health of your child is and treat all of our patients with the utmost precision and care. If you are pregnant and have learned that your baby will be born with a cleft lip or palate contact our office and schedule an appointment with us today!
