In my pursuit of knowledge about pregnancy, babies, defects amongst others, I have learned about several conditions that I had no prior knowledge of before now. As the baby grows during pregnancy, special cells and body tissues coming from each side of the head grows towards the center of the face, and then joins together to make the face.The baby lips is formed within the 4th-7th week of pregnancy, at the time when the tissue making up the lips doesn't join completely before birth is when we have the situation of cleft lip.
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A cleft lip is characterized with an opening in the upper lip, it could either be a small slit or a large opening that goes through the lip and into the nose. It could also just affct one, both or the middle sides of the lip which is very rare.
When a child has a cleft lip, there is a possibility of having difficulty with speaking and feeding appropriately, the case of an ear infection is also very possible, and in addition to that, the child can also have a problem with the teeth.
Several factors could increase the chances of a baby developing cleft lip and cleft palate;
When parents have a family history of cleft lip or cleft palate, there is a higher chance of having a baby with a cleft as well.
Some researched evidence have shown that women who are diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy stand a chance of having a baby with a cleft lip.
Cleft lip is more likely to happen to womenwho smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or take certain medications during pregnancy.
Babies born to some obese women according to some evidence have increased the chancs of cleft lip.
There has been a report of having more cases of cleft lip amongst male children than female.
It is possible to diagnose cleft lip during pregnancy with the help of a routine ultrasound, in other ways the diagnoses can also be done after the baby is born. Sometimes however, some types of cleft palate may not be diagnosed until much later in life.
The procedure for treating a child who has this condition varies depending on how severe the situation is, the age of the child, the needs, and the presence of other associated birth defects. Surgery required to treat cleft lip is often within the first 12 months of life, several children may require additional surgical procedure as they advance in age.
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These surgical repair will help to improve the appearance of the child, improve breathing, language, and even speech development of the child. With a swift and appropriate treatment, most children will continue to have a healthy life, some children may have a low self-esteem when they get concerned with the visible difference between themselves and other children.
An otolaryngologit, who will help evaluate hearing problems, and then consider the treatment options available.
An oral surgeon whose function is to reposition the segments of the upper jaw when required, this is to help improve the appearance and function of the affected face as well as repair the cleft of the gum.
A plastic surgeon who will help evaluate and perform necessary surgeries on the lip, and or the palate.
An orthodontist whose function is to straighten and reposition the teeth.
Certainly, the role of a dentist whose function is to perform a routine dental care.
An audiologist, who will assess and monitor hearing.
A prosthodontist who makes artificial teeth and dental appliances to improve appearance, and also meet the functional requirements of eating and speaking.
A speech pathologist whose aim is to assess speech and feeding difficulties.
A psychologist who will support the family and also assess any adjustment problems.
A nurse coordinator who will provide ongoing supervision for the health of the child.
Finally, a geneticist who will help parents and adult patients understand the chances of having more children who will have or will not have these conditions.
Of course, there is no certain way to prevent a child from having cleft lip, but you can work with your medical advisor to help you lower the chnaces of it's development and at the same time help you understand or lower your chances.
If you have a family history of someone with a cleft lip, you should speak with your doctor about it before you get pregnant or during pregnancy, you may be refered to a genetic counselor who will help you determine the risk of having children with a cleft lip.
Prenatal vitamins based on doctor's prescription will help, also avoid the use of alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy as it will seriously increase the risk of your child developing a birth defect.
Conclusion.
Since this defect can be noticed through the help of an ultrasound scan, it is important to get it done as constant as required by the doctor, to prepare for any required treatment by the time the child is born. Thankfully, the condition can be corrected with the help of medical experts.
For Further Studies.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cleft-palate/symptoms-causes/syc-20370985
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/cleftlip.html
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10947-cleft-lip-cleft-palate
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/cleft-lip-cleft-palate
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.
