What is the treatment for cleft lip and/or palate?
A. Children born with a cleft frequently require several different types of services, including surgery, dental/orthodontic care and speech therapy, all of which need to be provided in a coordinated manner over a period of years. A cleft lip is usually surgically repaired at 2 – 3 months and the palate at 9 – 18 months. Generally, surgery requires a general anaesthetic and takes 1 – 2 hours. The surgeon rearranges the skin and muscles of the lip or the tissues of the palate so no skin grafting from other parts of the body is needed. Most babies recover very quickly and will not experience much pain after this operation. Medication is given for any discomfort. The hospital stay is usually one week.
