Cleft palate can cause serious complications, including difficulty eating and learning to speak. However, close regulation of important signaling molecules during palate formation may one day allow doctors to reverse a cleft palate before the baby is even born, Chai said.
Is cleft palate surgery painful?
Some pain is normal after palate repair. Your surgeon and medical team will work together to achieve the best pain control possible, but your child may still experience discomfort.
At what age surgery of cleft lip/palate is done?
Palate repair surgery is usually done when your baby is 6 to 12 months old. The gap in the roof of the mouth is closed and the muscles and the lining of the palate are rearranged. The wound is closed with dissolvable stitches. The operation usually takes about 2 hours and is done using a general anaesthetic.
Which gender is cleft palate more common in?
Males are more likely to have a cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Cleft palate without cleft lip is more common in females. In the United States, cleft lip and palate are reportedly most common in Native Americans and least common in African-Americans.
How successful is cleft palate surgery?
Most kids with cleft lip and palate are treated successfully with no lasting problems. A team experienced in treating children with cleft lip and palate can create a treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs. The psychologists and social workers on the treatment team are there for you and your child.
How long is a hospital stay for cleft palate?
The only way to repair a cleft palate is by surgery. The goal is to close the opening in the roof of the child’s mouth. Your child will be in the operating room for only a few hours. The hospital stay is usually 1 to 3 days.
How long does cleft palate surgery take to heal?
How to Protect the Cleft Palate Repair. Once you get home, your child’s palate will take three weeks or more to heal.
When is the best time to do surgery for cleft lip and palate?
Most times, cleft palate repair is done when the child is older, between 9 months and 1 year old. This allows the palate to change as the baby grows. Doing the repair when the child is this age will help prevent further speech problems as the child develops.
How long is a cleft palate surgery?
This surgery usually takes between 2 to 6 hours, depending on the type of cleft palate repair your child needs. Your child will stay overnight for at least 1 day after the surgery.
What should I do if my child has cleft palate?
The cleft in the gum is usually closed when your child is 7 or 8 years old. Often, the cleft lip has been repaired before the cleft palate surgery. Some pain is normal after surgery. Your child will be sent home with pain medicine and an antibiotic.
What percentage of babies have a cleft palate?
Roughly 1 out of every 900 children are born with a cleft palate. About 70% of these children will also have a cleft lip. The other one third will have only a cleft palate. Most cleft palates involve both the hard and soft palate. What causes a cleft palate?
Is it possible to have a cleft palate without a hard palate?
It is also possible to have a cleft of the soft palate, without a cleft of the hard palate (Fig. 3). But it is not possible to have a cleft of the hard palate without a cleft of the soft palate. Cleft palate surgery is required to repair a cleft palate. How common are cleft palates? Roughly 1 out of every 900 children are born with a cleft palate.
How long does it take for a cleft palate to heal?
The Cleft Lip and Palate Center expertly cares for children with cleft palate. The roof of your child’s mouth (the palate) is still healing and should be protected from injury for about 3 weeks after surgery. There may be less feeling in this area for a while after the surgery.
