Because clefting causes very obvious physical changes, a cleft lip or cleft palate is easy to diagnose. Prenatal ultrasound can sometimes determine if a cleft exists
in an unborn child. If the clefting has not been detected in an
ultrasound prior to the baby's birth, a physical examination of the
mouth, nose and palate confirms the presence of cleft lip or cleft
palate after a child's birth. Sometimes diagnostic testing may be
conducted to determine or rule out the presence of other abnormalities.
What Problems Are Associated With Cleft Lip
and/or Cleft Palate?
Eating problems. With a separation or opening in the
palate, food and liquids can pass from the mouth back through the
nose. Fortunately, specially designed baby bottles and nipples that
help keep fluids flowing downward toward the stomach are available.
Children with a cleft palate may need to wear a man-made palate to
help them eat properly and ensure that they are receiving adequate
nutrition until surgical treatment is provided.
Ear infections/hearing loss. Children with cleft palate
are at increased risk of ear infections since they are more prone to
fluid build-up in the middle ear. If left untreated, ear infections
can cause hearing loss. To prevent this from happening, children
with cleft palate usually need special tubes placed in the eardrums
to aid fluid drainage, and their hearing needs to be checked once a
year.
Speech problems. Children with cleft lip or cleft palate
may also have trouble speaking. These children's voices don't carry
well, the voice may take on a nasal sound, and the speech may be
difficult to understand. Not all children have these problems and
surgery may fix these problems entirely for some. For others, a
special doctor, called speech pathologist, will work with the child
to resolve speech difficulties.
Dental Problems. Children with clefts are more prone to a
larger than average number of cavities and often have missing, extra, malformed, or displaced
teeth requiring dental and orthodontic treatments. In addition,
children with cleft palate often have an alveolar ridge defect. The
alveolus is the bony upper gum that contains teeth. A defect in the
alveolus can (1) displace, tip, or rotate permanent teeth, (2)
prevent permanent teeth from appearing, and (3) prevent the alveolar
ridge from forming. These problems can usually be repaired through oral
surgery.
Middle ear infection or inflammation (otitis media) is inflammation fo the middle ear. There are two types of otitis media, acute and chronic. Acute otitis media is generally short in duration, and chronic otitis media generally lasts several weeks. Seventy-five percent of children in the U.S. suffer from otitis media at some point. Treatment depends upon the type (chronic or acute).
Alcohol intake by a pregnant mother may result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in her child. A child with FAS may be hyperactive and have a low IQ, a small head, a growth lag, short eye openings, flattened cheekbones, a short nose, a smooth, thin upper lip, shortening of the fourth and fifth fingers, and a heart murmur.
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forestier's disease) is a form of degenerative arthritis. It is characterized by calcification along the sides of the vertebrae of the spine. Symptoms include stiffness and pain in the upper and lower back. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat DISH.
Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process after injury. The depth and size of the wound incision and the location of the injury impact the scar's characteristics, but your age, heredity and even sex or ethnicity will affect how your skin reacts.
Birth defects have many causes and currently, are the leading cause of death for infants in the first year of life. Some of the causes of birth defects include genetic or chromosome problems. Exposure of the mother to rubella or German measles during pregnancy, or using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. The treatment for birth defects depends upon the condition of the effected child.
Swimmer's ear (external otitis) is an infection of the skin that covers the outer ear canal. Causes of swimmer's ear include excessive water exposure that leads to trapped bacteria in the ear canal. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness in the ear, itching, and ear pain. Chronic swimmer's ear may be caused by eczema, seborrhea, fungus, chronic irritation, and other conditions. Common treatment includes antibiotic ear drops.
Find out more about how orthodontic braces and retainers can provide proper alignment to crooked teeth. Get answers to all your braces questions about care, clear braces, and color bands.
Learn more about what cavities like, their symptoms, treatment and prevention. See how tooth decay, plaque and bacteria contribute to the creation of cavities and how regular brushing and flossing can help.
Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a syndrome is an inherited genetic syndrome characterized by aortic aneurysms in children. Children with Loeys-Dietz syndrome are at a greater risk of dying from the aortic aneurysms, because the aneurysms are prone to rupture at a smaller size than other aneurysms. Physical characteristics of the syndrome include early fusion of the skull bones, widely spaced eyes, and split uvula or cleft palate. Treatment includes surgical repair fo the aneurysms.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
Oral Health RSS
Healthy Living Tips
