Cleft lip and cleft palate may occur independently or may co-exist. Treatment for both conditions is available at the Welcare hospital under care of Dr. Mohan Rangaswamy. He usually enlists the help of other specialists to cater to the comprehensive care of these babies. Although not a designated cleft center, we do undertake treatment of this condition as there is lack of a dedicated center in this country.
It is best for such babies to be seen in the early weeks after birth so that a proper counselling and planning can be put in place. Lips are usually repaired at 3 months of age or earlier. Cleft palates are repaired at one year age usually. Such babies need further planned surgeries at various ages to correct notching in the upper jaw, improve the lip further and later to address the deformities of the nose. Some children may also require a pharyngoplasty operation to improve their speech further. If properly managed, they can have a normal appearance and speech.
For excellent information related to this condition please refer to the web link: www.plasticsurgeryworks.com.