It’s Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Did you know that July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month (NCCAPM)? Established by AmeriFace and other organizations that are dedicated to providing education and support for children and families affected by cleft and craniofacial defects, this month-long awareness campaign aims to help us all learn more about these surprisingly common conditions and the life-changing treatments that are available.

Approximately 7,000 children are born with a cleft lip or palate in the U.S. each year, making clefts the most common congenital defect

As a pediatric plastic surgery specialist and member of the Cleft and Craniofacial Team at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, helping families understand their child’s condition as well as their treatment options are top priorities in my practice.

For example, did you know?

• An estimated 7,000 children are born with a cleft lip or palate in the U.S. each year, making clefts the most commonly occurring congenital defects in the nation

• About 1 in every 1,000 infants will have an early closure of a cranial suture which doesn’t allow the skull to grow normally

Left untreated, a cleft lip or palate can impair a baby’s ability to feed or breathe normally and can even negatively affect hearing and speech. Craniofacial defects, such as early closure of the bone spaces in the skull (craniosynostosis), can have serious consequences for a child’s brain development and result in skull deformities.

The good news is that nearly all cleft and craniofacial conditions can be successfully treated by a qualified team of pediatric specialists and plastic surgeons. Reconstruction and multidisciplinary therapies help children born with a cleft or craniofacial deformities lead full, healthy lives, often with little or no visible signs of their birth defect.

At what age do you fix a cleft palate/lip or other craniofacial defect in a child?

For otherwise healthy patients, I generally recommend that parents schedule surgery for their child as soon as it is safe to do so. Cleft lips are usually repaired before a child is 3 months old; cleft palate surgery is performed within the first year of life. Timing for other craniofacial procedures will vary depending on the individual case, but many can be performed in early childhood.

Understandably, parents worry about their infant or young child undergoing surgery, but craniofacial procedures are very safe when performed by an experienced, qualified pediatric plastic surgeon, and addressing congenital craniofacial defects as early as possible can offer numerous benefits to an affected child:

• Repairing a cleft lip within 3 months of age restores normal breathing and eating functions to ensure healthy growth and development

• Repairing cleft palates within the first year helps to ensure normal speech and hearing development

• Treating craniofacial deformities early in life could help avoid more complicated procedures in the future

• Early intervention can help prevent any negative emotional or social issues that may arise from having a visible craniofacial abnormality

Where to begin if your child needs cleft or craniofacial surgery

Pediatric craniofacial plastic surgery is a unique subspecialty that requires specialized surgical training, compassionate care, and support of patients and their families throughout the treatment process. When meeting with a potential surgeon for your child, look for someone who has specific training and experience in pediatric craniofacial surgery and is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Consider the benefits of choosing a pediatric plastic surgeon who works with a multidisciplinary Cleft and Craniofacial team. In my experience, a multidisciplinary approach facilitates communication among a patient’s family and medical providers, and having the support of multiple specialists can be reassuring for a parent.

If you or a loved one are facing choices about pediatric plastic surgery in Richmond, I welcome you to contact me for a consultation. As a specialist in cleft and craniofacial procedures for children, I know that navigating treatment options can be a little overwhelming at times. I am here to answer your questions and help you get the information you need to make the best possible decisions for you and your child.