SMILES

My son who is 11 months just had surgery to fix the soft palate. Looks like there is still a hole there and he will need another operation. They are saying they can't do this for two years. What has anyone else heard about this.

My son also had an opening after his palate closure.
Initially it was quite large, then as time went on it slowly became smaller.
Then it was much easier for the surgeon to fix. There was a year and half between his surgeries.
lishh32

My daughter had palate surgery at 14 months and also had a small hole called a fistula. It was repaired at three years old but within two weeks returned. It was very small and I was told by the surgeon that the smaller it is the harder it is to fix. She had it repaired again at 5 years old but it again returned within two weeks. She is now twelve and they will look at it again when her braces come off. It does not affect her speech or eating in anyway so I don't think it is anything to worry about.

Does anyone know if most children with soft clefts have to have follow up surgeries? Our son is 3 mo. old & will probably be having soft palate repair this fall. Thanks, Carey

Hello my name is Sherita,my son is 7 and he his soft palate is swollwen,I have taken him to a ear,nose, and throat doctor,who sent him for a cat scan.I was told that it is a cist and that it would have to be removed.He is scheduled for a biopsy on 9/24/01.I am really scared. Do you have any advice? sheritacb@yahoo.com