Q:
Will my child's speech be delayed if he has a cleft lip/palate?
A:
Not necessarily, if the surgical intervention is timely.
Q:
At what age should he be operated?
A:
The surgery should be done between 6-18 months. But palate repair
carried out at around 12 months of age is generally preferred.
Unfortunately
for some children, early surgery may not be possible because of
other handicapped conditions and extensiveness of the cleft of palate.
Q:
Will my child require a second surgery?
A:
This need may arise where the cosmetic outcome of the lip &
nose repairs is not satisfactory or the function of the velopharyngeal
mechanism is not adequate for speech or there is a blockage of the
nasal airway.
Q:
My child does not have a visible cleft lip and palate. But still,
he has been advised surgery because of his hypernasality (Has a
nasal voice).
A:
Hypernasality may be due to a submucous cleft, which may become
apparent when speech begins to develop.
Q:
Can my child's hearing be affected because of his cleft lip/palate?
A:
Hearing becomes progressively impaired if palate repair is delayed.
Hearing loss is usually of a conductive type. The child's hearing
should be routinely checked and re - checked because of a possibility
of intermittent loss. The presence of any loss will be a handicap
in the development of language and speech and may be detrimental
to academic progress.
Q:
What tests should be done to rule out a hearing handicap?
A:
In addition to ENT examination, pure tone audiometry and impedance
audiometry should be done to reveal any middle ear anomalies.
Q: Will my child need any dental/ orthodontic treatment?
A:
Orthodontic management will be required throughout the entire growth
period of the child from infancy to adulthood.
Q: Will my child's intellect be affected because of his problem?
A:
No. Sometimes, these children have a lower verbal ability because
of their handicap.
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Last
updated on 08-06-2001
Last
updated on 18-11-2006
