The terms ‘cleft palate’ and ‘craniofacial disorders’ may sound like confusing medical talk, but these conditions impact many individuals and can be understood without medical training. Craniofacial disorders involve conditions affecting the bones and tissues of the face and head, leading to structural anomalies. ‘Craniofacial’ is a combined term, with ‘cranio-‘ referring to the head and ‘-facial’ referring to the face. These disorders can arise due to various factors, such as genetics or complications during pregnancy.
To simplify, imagine building a house with blocks that aren’t uniform in size or shape, resulting in a house that might appear or function differently than a standard house. Similarly, craniofacial disorders affect facial and skull development, leading to unique features. Craniofacial disorders come in many forms.
A cleft palate is when the baby’s palate has a gap, which can range from a small hole to a large split. This gap isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It can affect feeding, speech and can increase ear infections. Similarly, a cleft lip involves a split in the upper lip, affecting eating, speech and leading to dental problems.
Craniosynostosis is another type of craniofacial disorder. In this condition, the baby’s skull bones fuse earlier than they should, affecting the skull’s growth pattern and potentially causing brain, vision, or headache issues.
Hemifacial Microsomia is a condition where one side of the baby’s face is underdeveloped, affecting the ear, mouth, and jaw.
Pierre Robin Sequence is another craniofacial disorder affecting the lower jaw’s size, tongue’s position, and possibly the roof of the mouth. The tongue can potentially block the airway due to its positioning towards the back of the throat, causing breathing difficulties.
The treatment programs for these disorders are tailored according to the type and severity of the specific disorder. The goal is to enhance the child’s ability to eat, breathe, hear, see, and also to improve their appearance. Treatment generally involves surgery, while additional interventions like speech therapy, dental care, hearing aids, or ear tube surgery might be required. With proper and early treatment, most children with these conditions can lead normal, healthy lives, including typical eating and speech processes.
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Blue Bird Day is a rotational therapy program structured like a preschool or kindergarten, but instead of teachers all our staff are therapists! This program is designed to foster socialization, sensory regulation, and learning for children ages 2-7 and helps provide children the tools they need to succeed in a traditional classroom.
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