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The cleft palate is when the baby is born with the roof of the mouth open, forming a cleft there. Most of the time, the cleft palate is accompanied by the cleft lip, which corresponds to the opening in the lips, which can reach the nose.
These changes in the face can bring some complications to the baby, especially in feeding, and can lead to cases of malnutrition, anemia, aspiration pneumonia and even frequent infections. For these reasons, every baby born with cleft palate or cleft lip should undergo surgery to reconstruct the tissues of the mouth, even in the first year of life.
The surgery is able to close the lip and the roof of the mouth, and the baby recovers completely in a few weeks after the operation, without complications in the growth of the teeth and feeding.
Corrected cleft lip and palate
Why the cleft lip or cleft palate happens
Both the cleft lip and cleft palate are caused by fetal malformation that occurs when the two sides of the face come together, around 16 weeks of gestation. Its causes are not fully known but it is known that there is a greater risk when the mother does not perform prenatal care properly or when:
- You did not take your folic acid tablets before attempting to conceive;
- You have uncontrolled diabetes;
- Took antibiotics, antifungals, bronchodilators or anticonvulsants during pregnancy;
- Consumed illicit drugs or alcohol during pregnancy.
However, a healthy woman who has performed prenatal care properly can also have a baby with this type of fissure on the face and that is why its causes are not fully known.
When the doctor verifies that the baby has cleft lip and cleft palate, he can investigate whether he has Patau syndrome, because in half of the cases of this syndrome they have this type of change in the face. The doctor will also investigate the functioning of the heart, because it may also be altered as well as the ear, which is more likely to accumulate secretions, which increases the risk of ear infection.
When the diagnosis is confirmed
The doctor can diagnose that the baby has cleft lip and / or cleft palate through morphological ultrasound in the second trimester of pregnancy, from the 14th week, also by 3D ultrasound or at the time of birth.
After birth, the child needs to be accompanied by a pediatrician, otorhinolaryngologist and dentist because the cleft palate can compromise the birth of teeth and the cleft lip usually interferes with breastfeeding, although the baby is able to take the bottle.
How is the surgery done
The treatment for cleft lip is done through plastic surgery that can be performed when the baby is 3 months old or after this period at any stage of life. In the case of cleft palate, surgery is only indicated after 1 year of age.
Surgery is quick and relatively simple and can achieve great results. For the plastic surgeon to be able to perform the surgery, it is necessary that the baby is more than 3 months old and does not have anemia, in addition to being healthy. Understand how the surgery and care is done after the procedure.
Types of cleft lip and cleft palate
How is breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is still recommended because it is an important bond between mother and child and although it is difficult to breastfeed, because the vacuum does not form and therefore the baby cannot suck the milk, it is important to offer the breast for about 15 minutes on each breast , before giving the bottle.
To make it easier for the milk to escape, the mother must hold the breast, pressing behind the areola so that the milk can come out with less suction. The best position for this baby to breastfeed is upright or slightly tilted, avoiding leaving the baby completely lying on his arm or on the bed to breastfeed because this increases the risk of him choking.
If the mother is unable to place the baby in the breast, the mother can express the milk with a manual pump and then give it to the baby in a bottle or cup because this milk has much more benefits for the baby than the infant formula, because it you have less risk of ear infection and difficulty speaking.
The bottle does not have to be special because there is no specific one for this type of health problem, but it is more advisable to opt for the rounded nipple nipple, which is more like the mother's breast, because the mouth fits better, but another option is to offer the milk in the cup.
Baby care before surgery
Before surgery, parents should take some important precautions such as:
- Always cover the baby's nose with a diaper to warm up the air the baby breathes a little, because there is less risk of the flu and colds that are very common in these children;
- Always clean the baby's mouth with a clean diaper wet with saline, to remove the remains of milk and food after he has eaten. If necessary, swabs can also be used to clean the crack in the roof of the mouth;
- Take the baby for a consultation with a dentist before 4 months of age, to assess oral health and when the first teeth should be born;
- Ensure that the baby eats well to avoid being underweight or anemia, which will prevent mouth surgery.
In addition, it is important to keep the baby's nose always clean, using a cotton swab dipped in saline to remove dirt and secretions at least once a day.