Describes the nature and cause of cleft lip and palate, emphasizing the positive outlook for successful treatment and the role parents and caregivers play

This book discusses why clefts occur and the different types; feeding babies with a cleft lip & /or cleft palate; surgery; speech and language; orthodontic treatment; support groups, etc.

Turn to this book for family-friendly guidance and support for young children with clefts'cleft lip, cleft palate, and cleft lip and palate'one of the most commonly occurring birth defects. Learn about: what clefts are; how they are repaired and when; feeding problems before and after surgery; dental issues; hearing & middle ear problems; your child's treatment team; your child's perspective; velopharyngeal inadequacy; and speech-language skill building activities. A team of speech-language pathologists focuses especially on mitigating the speech and language problems experienced by infants and toddlers (ages birth to three) with cleft palate. Parents can use the book's dozens of practical, hands-on activities to improve their child's speech. For example, Bug Race! uses a cotton ball or pom-pom'add eyes and voilà, you have a bug!?that the child moves by releasing pressure from behind the lips to stimulate oral airflow to produce the consonant /p/. Build valuable speech skills while you both have fun! Helpful strategies, illustrations of cleft repair procedures, photos of equipment, and recommended resources empower parents to get started on addressing speech problems of very young children and other issues for school-aged children. Speech-language pathologists, early intervention specialists, and medical professionals will also want this book to recommend to the families they serve.

Clefting is one of the most common birth defects and one of the most reparable. Yet parents of clefted newborns often initially respond with fear, shock, and despair. This first guide written specifically for parents explains what a cleft is, why it occurs, and what can be done about it. Topics include surgical procedures, financial assistance, emotional impact, and forming support groups.