- Can my child’s defect be completely repaired?
- When will my baby have her first operation?
- How many surgeries will my child have to have?
- Why did this happen to my baby? Did I do something wrong while I was pregnant?
- How long will my child’s treatment last?
- Why does my child need to see an audiologist? Will he be deaf?
- Will my child need speech therapy?
- How will this affect my child psychologically?
- How much will my child’s treatment cost? Will this be covered by insurance?
- Can my child’s defect be completely repaired?
Yes!! Our team of surgeons have many years of experience repairing cleft lip and palate, and use state of the art techniques to achieve the best outcome possible—for both aesthetics and function. Back to Top - When will my baby have her first operation?
If your child has a cleft lip, the first surgery is done as soon as possible after he or she reaches 10 pounds in weight, usually around 2-3 months of age. If there is only a cleft of the secondary palate, the surgery is done at 10-12 months of age if the baby weighs at least 15 pounds. The timing is important because this is the age when most children begin to speak, and need an intact palate to correctly form words. Back to Top - How many surgeries will my child have to have?
If your child has a cleft of both the lip and secondary palate, he or she will have at least 3 surgeries: to repair the lip, later to repair the palate and even later, when permanent teeth have erupted, to repair the cleft in the alveolus (gum). As he or she grows, other surgeries may be necessary, depending on the status of the child’s hearing, speech or position of the jaw. Back to Top - Why did this happen to my baby? Did I do something wrong while I was pregnant?
In most cases of cleft lip and/or palate, we do not know the reason for the cleft, although some clefts occur as part of a genetic syndrome, meaning the cause is in the genes of one or both parents. Cleft lip and palate is no one’s “fault.” Back to Top - How long will my child’s treatment last?
During childhood there is not only growth but also change taking place to the structures of the head, jaw, mouth and teeth. These changes are occurring all through childhood and adolescence and may affect the position and function of the palate as they happen. Therefore the cleft palate team, including the surgeon, speech pathologist and orthodontist, will continue to evaluate your child at least annually until his or her growth and treatment are complete. Treatment is generally complete by the age of 21 years. Back to Top - Why does my child need to see an audiologist? Will he be deaf?
If the palate has a cleft, the muscles are not functioning properly. Those same muscles help to drain fluid from the middle ear space through the Eustachian tube. If the fluid is not drained it can collect in the middle ear, causing frequent infections and/or hearing loss. The team has an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist who will provide evaluations and often surgery on the eardrum in order to drain the fluid. The team audiologist will assess your child’s hearing at least annually to ensure that his hearing remains in the normal range. Back to Top - Will my child need speech therapy?
Adequate palatal structure and function is needed for proper speech development. The surgery to close the palatal defect is therefore done when your baby is first learning to make consonant sounds. If the surgery is done in a timely manner, the palate should be able to work to make those sounds correctly. It is important that your child be evaluated by the team speech pathologist after surgery to the palate, and regularly during childhood, to ensure that speech is developing properly and to detect articulation errors early for timely treatment. Our speech pathologist will also give parents guidance in encouraging good speech patterns at home. Some children with cleft palate never require speech therapy, while some do need it. If it is needed, it can be provided at our office, another center or through the school system. Back to Top - How will this affect my child psychologically?
The most important thing is to have family support. A child born with a cleft palate needs the same kind of attention, support, stimulation, discipline and love as any other child. Our team psychologist will see your child and family regularly to assess, evaluate and either treat or refer to another therapist any psychological problem when and if it occurs. Back to Top - How much will my child’s treatment cost? Will this be covered by insurance?
All treatment of cleft lip and palate, including orthodontic treatment, is required by law to be covered by medical insurance. If your family is eligible for Medi-Cal, your child will also be covered by California Children’s Services, which is responsible for all treatment related to his or her cleft lip or palate until the age of 21 years. Our program cares for children without regards to ability to pay. Back to Top