Cleft and craniofacial anomalies affect one's aesthetic aspect and compromise functional and social life. However, timely interventions can save one's life.
Craniofacial anomalies are a group of deformities in the growth of the head and facial bones. These abnormalities are congenital, i.e. present at birth and could present variations ranging from mild to severe. Furthermore, craniofacial anomalies may also present with anomalies in other areas of the body.
Common Craniofacial Anomalies and Their Consequences
Craniofacial anomalies result from the interplay of genetics and environment. Some of the most common types of craniofacial anomalies include cleft lip, cleft palate, co-occurrence of cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, hemifacial microsomia, vascular malformation and hemangioma. Hence, children with these anomalies may suffer from,
Dental issues
Problems with eating/feeding
Speech development
Higher susceptibility to ear infections
Hearing difficulties
Growth and development issues
Low self-esteem and self-confidence which is most likely to result from the absence of social support.
Craniofacial anomalies and the type of care
Children born with craniofacial conditions require individualized treatment from the period of infancy till adulthood. Hence, this form of care is best accomplished with a team of specialists from various healthcare disciplines working with the child’s family to develop and follow a comprehensive treatment plan—the team of healthcare providers functioning together to address various needs throughout a person’s life.
Raising children with clefts
1. Feeding:
Anomalies like cleft lip and palate prevent the baby to create a vacuum. A vacuum helps the baby to suck milk from the nipple. As a result, the baby needs special bottles and nipples to allow the formula to flow without this suction. During feeding, the formula may come out of the baby’s nose. The baby may also take in too much air while feeding. Following practices can prevent such problems.
Place the baby in an upright position to prevent the formula from flowing back into the nose area.
Initially, babies may suck and swallow many times without taking rest. Eventually, most babies figure this process out and develop their rhythm of sucking, swallowing and resting.
Babies with a cleft need to be burped more often because they take in more air while feeding. There is a need to watch out for signs of discomfort the babies experience when burp.
2. Social Situations:
Support of parents from an early age and after the treatment of anomaly is pivotal in establishing the child's self-confidence. Therefore, it will help them in establishing a healthy social life. Parents can achieve this by following these practices.
Teach the child about cleft lip and palate via effective conversations and using pre and post-operative pictures as a tool to develop their confidence.
Talk about the progress of the child with others in front of the child.
Train the child to answer questions raised by their school fellows regarding the child’s situation.
Teach the child to respond to inappropriate comments or teasing.
Conclusion
While some craniofacial anomalies may cause severe functional problems, some are treatable. With the persistent efforts of the family and healthcare team required for rehabilitation, the child can lead a normal life. Unfortunately, the team of healthcare workers to manage cleft lip and palate are not formed in many parts. However, it creates difficulty for the parents and loopholes in the treatment of the child. By improving the healthcare systems, we can overcome this problem.