The cleft team

At your child’s birth and during his/her progress you should expect to see a whole team of people, these include:

  • The paediatrician/a medical specialist for children
  • The plastic surgeon/surgically repairs clefts
  • The specialist “feeding” nurse/counsels and oversees feeding
  • The speech and language therapist/monitors speech and language development
  • The paediatric dentist/advises on prevention of dental disease and manages dental care
  • The orthodontist/monitors growth, development and fits braces to straighten the teeth
  • The audiologist/tests children’s hearing
  • The otologist/ENT surgeon/treats hearing diffi culties
  • The clinical geneticist/advises on the chances of inheritance of the cleft
  • The psychologist/counsellor, provides counselling
  • The maxillo-facial surgeon/surgically corrects jaw-related growth problems

The members of the team work together to provide the best possible care for your child and correct the cleft and it’s related affects. You should expect a number of hospital visits and visits to the team as your child grows up and you should ask to see any of these specialists if you yourself think your child needs their attention. With their help and assistance it is possible for your child to grow up with few long-term effects and, like any other child, become a successful confident individual.

REFERENCE: “A PARENTS' GUIDE TO THE TREATMENT OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE” / "‘n OUER-HANDELING VIR DIE BEHANDELING VAN ‘n GESPLETE LIP ENVERHEMELTE" / ISIKHOKELO KUBAZALI NGONYANGO LOMLEBE OCANDEKILEYO NENKALAKAHLA EVULEKILEYO. © Haydn Bellardie 2006.

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