Elsie Said:

Orthognathic surgery for bilateral complete cleft lip and palate?

We Answered:

It can only help your appearance. I have known many kids with bilateral complete clefts of the lip and palate, and orthognathic surgery is done late so the mandible has time to grow prior to the operation. I would think that they would want to finish any nose and scar revisions at the same time; ask about that.
I'm thrilled for you that they have been able to achieve a good result with the dental issues.
You sound like your self-esteem is really good. Those kids who made fun of you have NO clue about what you have been through, so blow them off! All the pain, speech therapy, emotional issues, etc.
I'm sure you will be happy with the results of your surgery. We are fortunate we live in an age that craniofacial surgery is very advanced!
Good luck!

Lydia Said:

cleft lip and palate final surgery!?!?

We Answered:

Hi. I have a cleft lip and palate too. I am 12 years old. The best thimg to do would be to go to your doctor And ask about the procedure and the recovery rate. It would also be helpful if you included what the doctor is doing the surgery in your question. I am getting jaw surgery next year where they are going to break my top jaw and make it go where it needs to go. Is this what they are doing for you? Good luck.

Bessie Said:

Cleft Lip and Palate/Corrective surgery?

We Answered:

Hi
It sounds as though you look great, but if you want to investigate further surgery, then you should do so.

You don't say where you are located, so I will assume you want to know how to find a good surgeon. The first thing I would suggest you do is see if there is a Craniofacial team at your local Children's Hospital. Often the surgeons on the team work on adults as well as children. That is how we found a surgeon for my husband. Now we use the team for our son. Our surgeon is part of a cosmetic surgery group primarily for adults, but does work at Children's once a month. He also does work for Operation Smile.

Another resource is Cleft Advocate. They have a resource page by state, so you can see if any surgeons are listed in your area. Also, the listserv is made up of a wonderful group of people who are an excellent source of information. www.cleftadvocate.org. If you join, you can ask and have people from around the world to give you support and advice.

Good luck! It's always smart to do your homework before you make a decision. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Lynn Said:

Reconstructive plastic surgery for cleft lip/palate?

We Answered:

The best person to answer this would be your plastic surgeon. My son had his first revision a couple years ago when he was five, and they did the lip and nose and the columella. I would imagine it depends on what he or she (and of course, you) thinks need revising. A great resource is Cleft Advocate, a subgroup of AmeriFace. This is a great listserv to get answers from. The people are super friendly and willing to share experiences.

Kathleen Said:

What to expect after my sons cleft palate and lip surgery?

We Answered:

Your son underwent a major oral surgical experience and after 2 days he is probably very sore and the anesthetic and procedure took a lot out of him. What is amazing is that a child at that age heals and recovers amazingly fast. What would lay you and I out for months, wil;l only take him several days to bounce back. In a short time you will notice a big improvement. Good luck to you both.

Jesse Said:

help.. my son is 7 months old and has cleft lip/palate..?

We Answered:

Poor little guy. I think for him not to be sleeping he must be in pain so it might be an idea just to get him checked out at the doctors for healing. I had an i dea about the sippy cup with my own daughter but have not started it yet. I was thinking of putting her milk? /formula in her sippy cup from now on and seeing if that helps.