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What is it?
- An opening or split in the upper lip that occurs when developing facial structures in an unborn baby doesn't close completely.
- Affects 200,000 kids per year
- Largest age affected is 0-2 years old.

Causes:
- 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 if the mother smokes, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.
- It is a sex-linked recessive trait.

Treatments:
- Surgery or dental implants. Others that can help are:

Surgeons who specialize in cleft repair, such as plastic surgeons or ENTs

Oral surgeons

Ear, nose and throat doctors (ENTs, also called otorhinolaryngologists)

Pediatricians

Pediatric dentists

Orthodontists

Nurses

Auditory or hearing specialists

Speech therapists

Genetic counselors

Social workers

Psychologists

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Explaining Cleft Lip and Palate (1 of 7)

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The pediatric plastic surgery team from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia explains cleft lip and palate. For more, http://www.chop.edu/plasticsurgery. Cleft lip and palate can take make forms: bilateral or unilateral, complete or incomplete.

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Behind Down Syndrome, Cleft lip is the second most occurring.

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Behind Down Syndrome, Cleft lip is the second most occurring.

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This time 12 months ago I was 12 hours into my secret induction.

Well, I say secret. I let a few people know I was going in (Mr CD for example) but I didn't advertise the fact. I was messaging friends as if I was at home, telling them I was watching the Olympics and that L was with his Nan. It was all true, apart from the being at home bit.

By this point in proceedings Mum had arrived with a care package of food because the ward food was dreadful, and I was tucking into my first of 8 or more Chicken and Chorizo sandwiches that I would have before discharge in 5 days time. On subsequent days I would message food orders to visiting family asking them to bring me something edible.

I was still quite upbeat and laid back about the whole thing. The sense of humour failure would hit the following day when they wanted to give my body a rest of 12-18 hours between induction attempts. I sobbed. Actually sobbing isn't the word. I howled. I just needed it over and the pent up fear I had been trying to keep a lid on came pouring out. They only left me 6 hours in the end.

Looking back on this year I have been amazed at how quickly it has gone. I know that everyone says that but its true. Its been a constant whir of dealing with the next thing and (purposefully) never looking at the bigger picture. Its when you look at the bigger picture that the enormity hits you and sometimes you don't want to know. Its all about little victories.

That is all behind us though, for now at least. At H's post op appointment, the nurses were delighted with him and we are cautiously optimistic. Although we can't see the operation site (H is a biter), we have no reason to think it hasn't healed well.

The next stage of the journey will begin in September where we will meet specialists in other areas such and speech and language and dentistry. These are people I suspect that we will get to know very well over the coming years. As for now we are going to celebrate our boy's 1st birthday on Friday, enjoy a well earned week away next week and will see what September brings.

Thank you for being there and reading over the last year. It's lovely to speak to you all.

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This time 12 months ago I was 12 hours into my secret induction. Well, I say secret. I let a few people know I was going in (Mr CD for example) but I didn't advertise the fact. I was messaging friends as if I was at home, telling them I was watching the Olympics and that L was with his Nan.

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Cleft Lip and Palate: Meet the Baez Family (6 of 7)

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Veronica's family chose the pediatric plastic surgery team at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for her cleft care. For more, http://www.chop.edu/plasticsurgery. Veronica's family moved to the U.S. from Quito, Ecuador so she could receive cleft lip and palate care at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

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https://www.scarymommy.com/cleft-mom/