SMILES

My son was born with a wide complete unilateral cleft lip & palate. His lip has been repaired and his palate surgery is scheduled for June 6th (9 months of age). Our surgeon mentioned that it may take 2 surgeries for the palate to be closed. Does anyone have any information on this? Also...any suggestions on what to expect after the surgery would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks!

Hi! My daughter Savanna had a cleft of the soft palate. It was repaired 02/28/00. I built the surgery in my mind to be this dreaded horrible thing when in fact it was the best thing to ever happen to her. Her surgery took 3 hours, which is exactly what the surgeon told us. There is a 30% chance she will require another surgery but we're not worrying about it now. I think it depends on how much tissue they have to work with. Contact your surgeons office and speak with someone there. They are very knowledgeable and will help you in any way they can. Feel free to email me at gopredators@excite.com or cleftmom@homestead.com. I have a web site at: friendswithclefts.homestead.com/friendswithclefts.html Please visit us soon. God Bless.

It sounds like your son is having a similar surgery
programme as my daughter went through last year.


She had only her lip and nose repaired at one month
and then at 9 months she had the repair of the soft
and hard palate.


Because the surgeon has a lot to repair at once tehy
don't know if they will be able to do it all until
they start the procedure. In the end the surgeon did
repair Olivias at once but every child is different.


I found this operation, to be honest, hard to cope
with as although you can't see the stitches and there
is not as much bruising as with the first op it is
a lot for the child to go through. I think as they
are older it is harder for them to understand what
is happening and why they are on a drip, with arm sp
splints etc. Olivia had the grommits inserted in
her ears too which I feel added to her discomfort.


All I can say is that following the recovery period
the palate operation was the making of my daughter
for her feeding and general happiness.


Good luck from me and Olivia


Jo (UK)