explaining cleft lip and palate to my granchildren

[jill orange]

i was born with cleft lip and palate and this subject is very close to my heart.i am now 44 years old with two children born free from this facial deformity and two beautiful grandchildren

[Calvero]

Here's something that might help:


<a href="http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/cleft_lip_palate.html">http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/cleft_lip_palate.html</a>


It's aimed at explaining to a "normal" child about how a child is born cleft.


My daughter is almost three, so I haven't gotten to that stage yet (I'm cleft and she isn't). I haven't made up my mind whether to talk about it out of the blue, or wait until she asks first.


Did you ever talk about it with your children? If so, how would that be different than talking to your grandchildren?


Good luck with however you explain it to them


Kim,
The Cleft Club,
<a href="http://cleftclub.2ya.com">http://cleftclub.2ya.com</a>

[Jeff Alterman]

I guess when your daughter begins to notice that your voice sounds a little different than other people which might be within a year or two would perhaps be a good time to explain to her that you were born with a cleft and of course you'll need to tell her that it was corrected. I had the experience over the Christmas holidays this past year of having to explain to an 11 year old boy that I have a cleft when he noticed that I have a slight speech impediment. Surprisingly, he had sympathy for me which isn't something that one would always expect from an 11 year old. Nowadays I tell most people that I have a cleft so they don't get alarmed when they notice that my speech is a little nasal. This way they'll realize that it is a physical problem and not because I have a mental defect. Jeff Alterman at alterman@bestweb.net