Cleft Lip Repair

To repair a cleft lip, an incision will be made on either side of the cleft. The incision will be from the lip to the nostril. Sutures will be used to close the 2 parts of the lip. If your child has 2 openings on either side of the lip, an additional surgery will be needed in about a month. Bandages will be placed over the incision area.

Cleft Palate Repair

During cleft palate repair, incisions will be made on the 2 sides of the cleft. A special flap technique will be used to move the hard palate in the front of the mouth and the soft palate in the back of the mouth. The muscle fibers in the palate will also be moved. Removable or absorbable stitches will be used to close the area.

At the Hospital

The hospital staff will:

• Give your child nutrition and fluids through an IV, then later by mouth.
• Give your child pain medicine.
• Use elbow splints to keep your child’s hands away from the incisions.

Preventing Infection

During your child's stay, the hospital staff will also take steps to reduce the chance of infection such as:

• Washing their hands
• Wearing gloves or masks
• Keeping your child's incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to reduce your child's chance of infection such as:

• Washing both you and your child's hands often, and reminding visitors and healthcare providers to do the same
• Reminding your child's healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks
• Not allowing others to touch your child's incision

At Home

To help ensure a smooth recovery for your child at home:

• At first, your baby will be given fluids using a special bottle with a rubber-tip syringe or a spoutless cup. You will then be instructed to resume your baby’s normal breastmilk or formula feedings. If your child had cleft lip repair and is old enough, you will be able to feed them a soft diet using a spoon. If your child had cleft palate repair, start with a liquid diet, because food and utensils could interfere with the healing process.
• If your school-aged child had surgery, they may struggle with teasing from their classmates. Encourage your child to talk to you. Be there to listen to their concerns. Your child may also benefit from working with a therapist. This can help them cope with their condition and surgeries.
• Apply sunscreen to your child’s face, especially on the healed incision area.

After the surgeries, you will see scars at the upper lip and nose. These scars will fade with time. After the repairs are done, your child will be able to develop and function normally. In some cases, your child may need more surgeries to improve appearance. Surgeries may also be needed to improve breathing problems, jaw alignment, or speech development.