Quik Question

[Carol]

I have heard the term lovie used by the last two posts. My grandson has a soft cleft palate and can not be operated on until he is eight months old or until he has formed enough tissue to do the operation.


The first question is what is a Lovie (our baby uses his three year old brothers that should really be tossed out because the bulb is huge, but he loves sucking it) Not good huh?


Second question is where do they take the tissue from to do this operation? Remember I am only grammy.

[Anonymous]

Hi Carol, are you asking about soothers apcifiers -- not sure what a lovie is. Our daughter loved to suck on her pacifier. and I don't know that there is any reason for the cleft babies not to have them -- except immediately following surgery -- some doctors do not want them sucking too soon because of the chance of damaging the repair. They don't take tissue from anywhere else to repair the cleft of the palate. They use what is already up there, but not necessarily in the right place. Sometimes the surgeon will use a relaxing incision around the arch to allow the tissue to reach across the gap of the cleft. It is not easy to describe, but there is a video put out by the learning channel which shows a palatoplasty or palate repair using this pushback procedure. There are also several other methods of repairing the palate.


To answer your other question about whether your lifestyle could have skipped a generation and affected your daughter's children --- it's not a silly question -- you obviously have a concern, but from what I understand you can put your mind to rest. Guilt is a pretty hard feeling to carry around. I've heard some medical people say that there are so many intricate things that happen during conception and gestation that its a wonder things can go right. As for your daughter having three children with speech difficulties -- that to me would be a red flag. Does either of the other two have a possible submucous cleft palate -- or a hidden cleft? also keep in mind that your daughter is only one half of the pair of parents of these kids. So there is a whole other set of history to look at too.


but whichever way it wouldhappen to work out -- if the cleft(s) are hereditary or not -- the most important thing is that they have a loving supportive family when they need them. You sound like a good grandma, looking for information. Don't be guilty -- just be happy. I am not a doctor, just an experienced mom.

[isabellasmum]

Hi Carol


The previous post really answered your question, but I will add my two cents.


My daughter also has a cleft of the soft palate and will have surgery at around 8 months (she is almost 4 months now). Our plastic surgeon explained the procedure he will do -- he will make insisions on either side of her hard palate forward along the gumline to create two flaps of skin which he will pull across her cleft. This will leave raw spaces along her gums -- ouch!-- plus a new palate to learn to use.


Because the reconstructed palate is very delicate and can open up, most doctors do not allow things to go in the baby's mouth for a few weeks after surgery -- that means no bottle nipples or pacifiers/soothers.


We are concerned because our daughter LOVES her soother -- in fact she won't go to sleep without it. Sooooo... unless we wean her from it soon, we will have a very grumpy post-op baby who cannot use her favourite method of soothing herself!


When I referred to a 'lovie' I meant a blanket for her to cuddle.


Hope this helps!