According to Children’s hospital of Wisconsin, approximately 1 in every 700 live births; most cases (80 percent) occur in males. Cleft lip/palate are birth defects that occur when the lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. The causes of orofacial clefts among most infants are unknown. Some children have a cleft lip or cleft palate because of changes in their genes. Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy. This paper will focus on the disease process of cleft lip/palate and the steps it takes to prepare for a surgery.
Pediatric Specific Disease Process Description:
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when the lip or mouth do not form properly during …show more content…
Feed infant either with a syringe fitted with special soft tubing, or a special cleft lip feeder (e.g., a Haberman feeder). Goal is to prevent the child from having to suck hard on formula or milk, and thus protect the newly repaired lip. Formula and pumped breast milk can both be given in the feeder (Chw, 2015). Monitor child’s feeding abilities; wound care (surgeon or nursing staff will cleanse the lip at the first visit after surgery.) Teach caregiver not to touch or handle the child's lip (surgical area). Surgeon or nursing staff will cleanse the lip at the first visit after surgery, monitor incision site (should be dry and intact) notify physician if it drains blood or pus or edges pull apart, notify physician if: A fever (temperature over 100.4°F). Severe pain not relieved by the pain medicine, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Bleeding from and/or any change in the suture line (area of surgery) (Sommer,