Audiologist
An audiologist is a hearing specialist that will evaluate and manage any hearing problems your child might have.
In children with a cleft palate, temporary hearing loss is a common problem. If your child has a cleft palate, he will have his first hearing test early in life, and again prior to the operation to repair his cleft palate. An audiologist will monitor your child's hearing every 6 to 12 months.
Otolaryngologist
An otolaryngologist is a doctor that specializes in ear, nose and throat problems.
Some children with cleft palate experience temporary hearing loss that is caused by buildup of fluid in their middle ear. If your child has this problem, one of our otolaryngologists will perform an operation to remove the fluid and insert ear tubes. The ear tubes allow air to circulate in the middle ear and help prevent infection.
We recommend that your child visit our otolaryngologist every 6 months until the ear tubes are removed (usually after 9-12 months).
Dentist/Orthodontist
Dental problems such as missing teeth, misaligned teeth or malformed extra teeth are common in children with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Our dentists specialize in treating these conditions and will be involved in your child's care from infancy to adolescence.
As your child grows and his teeth and bite develop, he will meet periodically with our dentists and orthodontists for check-ups and treatment. Treatment usually includes repositioning teeth with orthodontics (braces).
Nurse
Our nurse specializes in caring for children with cleft lip and palate. She will be one of your primary contacts throughout your child's treatment at Children's and will be able to answer any medical questions you might have, including questions about feeding and home care.
Plastic Surgeon
Our plastic surgeons have specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of cleft lip and palate.
Generally, a cleft lip is treated with one or two operations where the existing muscles and tissues of your child's lip and nose will be used to close the cleft. A cleft palate is treated with an operation where existing muscles and tissues from the split palate are brought together to close the opening.
Speech and Language Pathologist
A speech and language pathologist is a health care professional who will evaluate and manage any speech and language problems your child might have.
Usually, a cleft lip alone does not result in speech problems. However, a child with cleft palate will have difficulty making certain sounds until the palate is repaired. Our speech and language pathologists may see your child as early as one year old to evaluate whether he would benefit from speech therapy.
We recommend that the speech of children with a cleft lip and palate be checked every month until age 3. These monthly check-ups should be coordinated through the Massachusetts Early Intervention Program.
|
