A completely formed lip is important not only for a normal facial appearance but also for sucking and to form slight sounds made during speech. A cleft lip is a restriction that creates an opening in the upper lip in the middle of the mouth and nose. It looks as though there is a split in the lip.
What are the types of Cleft Lip ?
Cleft Lip can be 1) Unilateral Cleft Lip - On one side of the nose or 2) Bilateral Cleft Lip - On both the sides of the nose. Cleft Lip can either be 1) Complete Cleft Lip - When the cloven extends right up and into the nose or 2) Incomplete Cleft Lip - When the crack in the upper lip does not stretch up to the nose.
What are the problems associated with Cleft Lip ?
Feeding Problems of Cleft Lip
- Cannot suck effectively
- Milk gets into the nasal cavity and may happen in choking or aspiration
- Teething Problems
- Missing teeth
- Increased number of cavities
- Malocclusion of teeth - When teeth are bunched together or on top of each other.
Speech Problems of Cleft Lip
- Nasal voice
- May develop nodules on the vocal cord due to vocal abuse
- Delayed speech and language development
- Difficulty with utterance and proper pronunciation of words
- Ear Infections
- Most children with Cleft Lip are prone to middle ear infection
- Hearing Loss
- May be associated with frequent ear infection
Planning for surgery
At your initial consultation, your doctor will discuss the details of the procedure he or she will use, along with where the surgery will be performed, the type of anesthesia to be used, possible risks and complications, recovery, costs, and the results you can expect. Your surgeon will also answer any questions you may have about feeding your baby, by breast or by bottle, both before and after the surgery.
Cleft lip surgery
A cleft lip can range in severity from a slight notch in the red part of the upper lip to a perfect disconnection of the lip extending into the nose. Clefts can occur on one or both sides of the upper lip. Surgery is generally done when the child is about 10 weeks old. To repair a cleft lip, the surgeon will make an incision on either side of the cleft from the mouth into the nostril.
Recovering from cleft lip surgery
Your child may be restless for awhile after surgery, but your doctor can prescribe treatment to fire any discomfort. Elbow restraints may be necessary for a few weeks to forestall your baby from rubbing the stitched area. If dressings have been used, they’ll be removed within a day or two, and the stitches will either dissolve or be removed within five days. Your doctor will advise you on how to feed your child during the first few weeks after surgery.
Cleft palate surgery
In some children, a cleft palate may concern only a tiny portion at the back of the palate of the mouth; for others, it can mean a entire disconnection that extends from forefront to back. Just as in cleft lip, cleft palate may emerge on one or both sides of the upper mouth. However, repairing a cleft palate involves more extensive surgery and is usually done when the child is nine to 18 months old, so the baby is bigger and better able to bear surgery.
Recovering from cleft palate surgery
For a day or two, your child will probably feel some soreness and pain, which is easily controlled by remedy. During this period, you child will not eat or liquor as much as usual -- so an intravenous line will be used to sustain fluid levels. Elbow restraints may be used to preclude your baby from rubbing the repaired area.
Benefits of surgical repai
The team address to correcting Cleft Lip and other problems associated with it has some fold benefits. Symmetry or balance of facial features is restored to a great scope but not completely. The surgeons have mastered sophisticated techniques that have improved the success rate of surgery for Cleft Lip many fold.
Appearance
After the surgery has been completed, the child can notice some redness in addition to swelling on the lips. One can maintenance small strips of tape on the cuts to maintain the repairing, to fall-off the compel on the suture line and to keep away from the lips from rubbing and an unintended hit.
Cleft Lip Surgery In India
During early pregnancy, separate areas of the face develop individually and then join together, including the left and right sides of the roof of the mouth and lips. However, if some parts do not join properly, sections don’t meet and the result is a cleft. If the separation occurs in the upper lip, the child is said to have a cleft lip.
A completely formed lip is important not only for a normal facial appearance but also for sucking and to form certain sounds made during speech. A cleft lip is a condition that creates an opening in the upper lip between the mouth and nose. It looks as though there is a split in the lip.
Related : Prevent cleft palate foundation By Folic Acid
From : articlesbase.com
