Procedures
You will probably be able to go back to work or to most of your usual activities 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. But you may need up to 3 to 6 weeks to fully recover. Over the next 3 to 6 weeks, you should start to have better airflow. You may find that you snore less or not at all.
Therapy
The scar should fade and become softer and flatter in the months and years after surgery. Hereof, how long does cleft palate surgery take to heal? It usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks for the incision to heal. Your child may need to wear padded arm restraints for 1 to 2 weeks after surgery to prevent him or her from rubbing the surgery area.
Self-care
Treatment
- Team Approach to Treatment. ...
- Components. ...
- Approaches to Treating Cleft-Type Speech. ...
- Early Speech and Language Intervention. ...
- Feeding and Swallowing. ...
- Audiologic Care. ...
- Role of the Community-Based SLP in Treatment. ...
- Persisting Speech Difficulties. ...
- Transitioning to Adult Services. ...
- Cultural Considerations. ...
Nutrition
Typical costs: Without health insurance, cleft lip and/or palate surgery typically costs $5,000 to $10,000 or more per surgery; if the child has both a cleft lip and a cleft palate, two surgeries typically are required for a total of $10,000 to $20,000.
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How long is recovery from palate surgery?
How long does cleft palate surgery take to heal?
What are the treatments for cleft palate?
How much does cleft palate surgery cost?
Is cleft palate surgery a major surgery?
Cleft palate repair closes the opening in the palate to restore the structure and function of the palate. Cleft palate repair is a major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. Most children with cleft palate have the surgery between nine and 12 months of age.
Is cleft palate surgery painful?
Some pain is normal after palate repair. Your surgeon and medical team will work together to achieve the best pain control possible, but your child may still experience discomfort. For pain, your child may be prescribed a medicine called either Oxycodone or Lortab.
How many hours is a cleft palate surgery?
Palate repair surgery is usually done when your baby is 6 to 12 months old. The gap in the roof of the mouth is closed and the muscles and the lining of the palate are rearranged. The wound is closed with dissolvable stitches. The operation usually takes about 2 hours and is done using a general anaesthetic.
How long does cleft palate surgery take to heal?
Most children are back to their usual behaviour about a week after surgery. It usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks for the incision to heal. Your child may need to wear padded arm splints for 1 to 2 weeks after surgery to prevent rubbing the surgery area.
Is cleft palate a disability?
FACT: A cleft is not a 'disability'. It may affect a child in ways that mean they need extra help, but most children with a cleft are not affected by any other condition and are capable of doing just as well at school as any other child.
Can cleft palate babies speak?
Many children with cleft lip and/or palate develop normal speech with no need for help from the speech and language therapist. However, others may develop speech problems recognised by the speech and language therapist as being related to the cleft.
What causes a baby to have a cleft palate?
Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.
What causes a cleft palate in a baby?
A cleft lip or palate happens when the structures that form the upper lip or palate fail to join together when a baby is developing in the womb. The exact reason why this happens to some babies is often unclear. It's very unlikely to have been caused by anything you did or did not do during pregnancy.
What are the complications after cleft palate repair?
Irregular healing of scars including shortening, thickening or overgrowth. Poor healing of incisions. Possibility of revisional surgery. Residual irregularities and asymmetries in the lip or nose.
Does cleft palate affect teeth?
Many children born with a cleft of the lip and/or palate will have missing teeth, particularly in the line of the cleft. They may also have extra teeth, misshapen or malformed teeth (Figure 1). As a result their teeth can be crowded, tilted or rotated (Figure 2).
How does cleft palate affect speech?
Individuals with cleft lip and palate may also exhibit dysphonia. This is characterized by breathiness, hoarseness, and low intensity of voice during speech tasks. This is usually due to increased respiratory and muscular effort, and hyper-adduction of vocal folds while attempting to close the velopharyngeal valve.
What should I pack for cleft palate surgery?
Comfy clothes and at least one other full change of clothes. Recommend to not wear white or light clothes as they may get stained and not come clean if your child has any bleeding. surgery. If you take medication, make sure to bring it to the hospital.
What is the procedure to repair a cleft palate?
There are a variety of different techniques that may be used to repair the cleft palate, such as a Z-plasty or a V-Y-pushback. These procedures close the palate in three layers: the inner layers that form the nasal lining; the middle layers, consisting of the muscles at the back of the palate; and the final layer, which includes the oral mucosa.
What is the goal of cleft palate surgery?
The goal of cleft palate surgery is to fix the roof of the mouth so that your child can eat and talk normally. Cleft palate repair is a more complicated surgery and has the best outcome when the child is slightly older and better able to tolerate the surgery, but before significant speech development occurs.
How long does it take for a cleft lip to expand?
Palatal expansion. 5 to 7 years (if needed) Due to the clefting of the alveolus, or gum, and the cleft itself, approximately 25 percent of patients with cleft lip and palate will require palatal expansion as a pre-surgical procedure prior to bone grafting.
What is the procedure for molding a palatal plate?
The process uses an appliance consisting of a palatal plate and nasal stent which is made based on an impression of the patient’s mouth. Frequent adjustments gradually tighten the device to slowly mold the palate. Nasoalveolar molding is performed by our specialized orthodontists.
Why is the lip and palate left open?
A portion of the palate is usually left open to allow room for the mouth, palate and jaw to grow.
How does a plastic surgeon fix a cleft lip?
The plastic surgeon will make an incision on each side of the cleft from the lip to the nostril. The two sides of the lip are then sutured together, using tissue from the area to rearrange and close the lip as needed. In addition to closing the lip, cleft lip repair realigns the muscle of the upper lip to provide normal lip function and facilitate suckling. In some cases, a second operation is needed. For example, patients with a bilateral cleft lip may require a short hospital stay in order to complete two surgeries, about a month apart.
What is the procedure for nasal repair?
Although the type of repair differs from surgeon to surgeon, this procedure involves liberating some of the nasal elements and realigning them to a more normal configuration with the use of stents or sutures.
How to repair a cleft palate in a child?
The only way to repair a cleft palate is by surgery. The goal is to close the opening in the roof of the child’s mouth. Your child will be in the operating room for only a few hours.
When to start preparing for cleft palate surgery?
You will begin to prepare your child for surgery 2 weeks before the scheduled date.#N#Starting 2 weeks before surgery, do not give aspirin or ibuprofen (such as Motrin® or Advil®). These medicines may cause bleeding problems after a cleft palate repair.
How does a cleft palate affect children?
A cleft palate makes it hard for children to eat and speak. Food and liquid go up through the opening into the nose (nasal passage) instead of going down the throat into the stomach. For your child to be able to speak and swallow normally, the palate needs to seal off the inside passage of the nose from the throat.
How many babies are born with cleft palate?
Cleft palate is one of the most common problems found in newborn babies. Each year about 1 in 600 babies is born with a cleft. The cause is not known, but scientists are learning that both genetics (conditions that run in families) and environment matter.
What is a cleft palate?
Cleft Palate Repair: The Surgery. When a child is born with an opening in the roof of the mouth, it is called a cleft palate (Picture 1). The palate or roof of the mouth has two parts: the hard palate in the front of the mouth and the soft palate in back. The hard palate is the bony part that is attached to the skull.
How to keep a child's mouth open during surgery?
After your child is asleep, the plastic surgeon will follow these steps: Place a device or brace into your child’s mouth to keep it open during the surgery. Make incisions (cuts) on both sides of the palate along the cleft (Picture 2). Loosen the layer of tissue attached to the bone of the hard palate.
When will the Cleft Palate Team meet you?
The Cleft Palate Team of specialists will meet you before and after the surgery.
What is a cleft palate repair?
Cleft palate repair is of concern to plastic surgeons, speech pathologists, otolaryngologists and orthodontists with respect to the timing of the operation, the type of palatoplasty to be considered and the effect of the repair on speech, facial growth and eustachian tube function. The objective of this procedure is to close the palatal defect and create an adequately functioning velopharyngeal mechanism for normal speech production.
What is the procedure to repair an alveolar cleft?
Alveolar cleft repair is a secondary cleft procedure performed when there is insufficient bone in the area of the alveolar (gum-line) defect. Surgical repair of the defect involves taking bone marrow from the patient’s hip and grafting it into the cleft defect in the bony ridge. This procedure offers several advantages:
What is primary cleft lip repair?
The goals of primary cleft lip repair involve reconstruction of the normal anatomy and function of the lip, correction of the nasal deformity, and construction of the floor of the nose and proper alignment of the maxillary segments (gum-line).
Why do we need pharyngeal flaps?
The purpose of the z-plasty or pharyngeal flap procedures is to decrease the hypernasality and nasal emissions evident in speech. Nasal emission and nasality generally occur because a person can not consistently close the opening between the oral and nasal cavity.
How much weight do you need to have a bilateral lip repair?
The guideline followed is that children must weigh ten pounds before the surgery will be done. Bilateral lip repair may be done as one surgical procedure or may require a second procedure at least 8 weeks after the first surgery. Myringotomies and tubes may be inserted into the ears at the time of surgery if needed.
How old do you have to be to have lip surgery?
Clefts vary in severity from partial unilateral (one side) cleft to complete bilateral (both sides). Surgery of the lip will be performed at approximately 4-6 months of age. The child must be healthy and gaining weight. The guideline followed is that children must weigh ten pounds before the surgery will be done.
How long does it take for a child to go to the hospital after a cleft?
Most children spend 1 or 2 nights in the hospital following surgery. They will return for a follow-up appointment 3-4 weeks after surgery. A visit with the cleft surgeon and other members of the cleft team should occur 3-6 months later.
When is cleft palate surgery done?
Cleft palate repairs are usually done between the ages of 9 to 18 months, but before the age of 2. This is a more complicated surgery and is done when the baby is bigger and better able to tolerate the surgery. The exact timing of the surgery will be decided by your child's physician. The goal of this surgery is to fix the roof of the mouth so that your child can eat and learn to talk normally. Sometimes, a second operation is needed.
How long does it take for a cleft lip to heal?
For most infants with cleft lip alone, the abnormality can be repaired within the first several months of life (usually when the baby is 10 to 12 pounds). This will be decided by your child's surgeon. The goal of this surgery is to fix the separation of the lip. Sometimes, a second operation is needed.
How long does it take for stitches to dissolve after a child has surgery?
Stitches will either dissolve on their own or will be removed in approximately five to seven days. Specific instructions will be given to you regarding how to feed your child after the surgery. The scar will gradually fade, but it will never completely disappear.
What is the purpose of a roof surgery?
The goal of this surgery is to fix the roof of the mouth so that your child can eat and learn to talk normally. Sometimes, a second operation is needed.
What to expect at your first plastic surgery?
At your first visit with the plastic surgeon, he/she will discuss with you the details of the surgery, risks, complications, costs, recovery time, and outcome. At this time, your child's surgeon will answer any questions you may have.
How long after surgery can a child play?
He/she should not run or engage in rough play (i.e., wrestling, climbing) or play with "mouth toys" for one to two weeks after surgery. Your child's physician will advise you when your child can safely return to regular play.
What is the procedure for cleft palate?
Ear tube surgery. For children with cleft palate, ear tubes may be placed to reduce the risk of chronic ear fluid, which can lead to hearing loss. Ear tube surgery involves placing tiny bobbin-shaped tubes in the eardrum to create an opening to prevent fluid buildup. Surgery to reconstruct appearance.
What is the procedure to correct a cleft lip?
Surgery to correct cleft lip and palate is based on your child's particular situation. Following the initial cleft repair, your doctor may recommend follow-up surgeries to improve speech or improve the appearance of the lip and nose.
How to repair a cleft lip?
Cleft lip repair. To close the separation in the lip, the surgeon makes incisions on both sides of the cleft and creates flaps of tissue. The flaps are then stitched together, including the lip muscles. The repair should create a more normal lip appearance, structure and function. Initial nasal repair, if needed, is usually done at the same time.
What does it mean when a cleft is found on a prenatal ultrasound?
If prenatal ultrasound shows a cleft, your doctor may offer a procedure to take a sample of amniotic fluid from your uterus (amniocentesis). The fluid test may indicate that the fetus has inherited a genetic syndrome that may cause other birth defects. However, most often the cause of cleft lip and cleft palate is unknown.
What is the goal of cleft lip and palate?
The goals of treatment for cleft lip and cleft palate are to improve the child's ability to eat, speak and hear normally and to achieve a normal facial appearance.
How to help a baby with cleft palate?
When welcoming a baby with cleft lip and cleft palate into your family, keep these coping tips in mind: Don't blame yourself. Focus your energy on supporting and helping your child. Acknowledge your emotions. It's completely normal to feel sad, overwhelmed and upset. Find support.
How does surgery help cleft lip?
Surgery to repair cleft lip creates a more normal lip appearance, structure and function. Surgery is done in a way to minimize the appearance of the scar. The scar will fade over time but will always be visible.
