3 Myths About Cleft Palates
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over 2,000 babies are born each year with a cleft palate and just over 4,000 babies are born with a cleft lip, which compared to the 4 million babies that are born into the United States each year, is actually fairly low. If you or your partner are pregnant and have recently found out that your unborn baby has either of these birth defects, you more than likely have a million questions circulating through your mind. As two of the surgeries that we specialize in here at Associated Plastic Surgeons, we want you to feel informed and rest easy knowing that we will do what we can to help your child. Just like with anything medical related, there are a variety of myths surrounding cleft palates and cleft lips. Let’s take a closer look.
Myth 1: It’s Purely Cosmetic
Yes, it’s true that you want to do everything to ensure that your child grows up feeling and looking as healthy as possible. One of the largest misconceptions that people have about cleft palates and lips is that they are purely cosmetic. However, that simply isn’t the case. Babies born with these defects often suffer from problems with eating, chewing, and speaking. During Surgery, we will help to restore their cleft lip and palate and help them function like normal.
Myth 2: They Cause Learning Disabilities
Although a cleft palate or cleft lip can cause things like a speech impediment for some children, they do not cause learning disabilities. In fact, there is no scientific association between this birth defect and learning disabilities.
Myth 3: It Always Leaves a Big Scar
Depending on the severity of your child’s cleft lip will help dictate just how much scarring they may have. In many instances, your child’s surgical scar will drastically fade after a few years and may even go almost entirely away as they reach their teenage years or adulthood.
Being a parent is difficult, but finding out that your unborn baby has a birth defect like a cleft lip or palate can feel devastating. Our surgeons have years of experience and expertise to help surgically correct this issue and help your child live a healthy life.
Want to learn more about cleft lip and cleft palate surgery? Schedule a consultation at our Huntington office today and call (631) 423-1000.
- Published in Cleft Palate Surgery
Understanding a Bit More About Cleft Palate During Your Pregnancy
Pregnancy in and of itself can be an extremely anxiety ridden time— not only are you constantly worried about the health of your baby but also about the new life changes it is going to bring to your family once your baby is born. However, if you find out that your baby has some health issues while in utero, then your anxiety will be even more magnified. As a birth defect that affects approximately 1 in 600 babies, cleft palate is a condition that occurs when both the left and the right side on the roof of your mouth don’t join correctly. If you have recently found out that your child has a cleft palate, one of the best things that you can do to stay calm is to be informed. Read on to learn more about cleft palate.
How Does It Occur?
During the first trimester of your pregnancy, your baby’s cleft will typically develop and will show during your first major ultrasound. If, however, there is either some sort of either hereditary or environmental impact on your child during this stage, then their palate might not fully develop and they may have a cleft palate.
What Does a Cleft Palate Mean Exactly?
When considering the ramifications of having a cleft palate, it’s important to know what this will mean for the development of your child. Having a cleft palate can cause things like eating, speaking to become very difficult— which could cause your child to have to use something like a feeding tube in order to get the proper nutrition that they need.
Can It Be Fixed?
The best news about your child having a cleft palate is that the experts at Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants can fix your child’s cleft palate at around 9 weeks. During a surgical procedure, your child’s palate will be rebuilt and close off so that they can speak and chew just like normal. In fact, with surgery and some speech therapy, your child should not have any difficulty further down the line.
If your child has a cleft palate and you just found out during your pregnancy, contact the experts at Associated Plastic Surgeons & Consultants to have your questions answered.
- Published in Cleft Palate Surgery