As you may already know, having a cleft affected child means you need to be diligent when it comes to their dental care. It is not uncommon for cleft affected children to be born without some of their permanent teeth so taking care of the teeth they do have is of the utmost importance. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the phrase “where there are teeth, there is bone.” So keeping the teeth your cleft kiddo has,…
Having a child born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate is difficult, especially when considering the extra work that goes into feeding. Your baby will initially be in in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) of your hospital right after being born. A feeding tube will be inserted through one nostril and will go down the back of your baby’s throat and into his stomach. The nurses will attach a syringe and push formula or breast milk through that…
Choosing a “team” for you child and family is an important first step in planning your care from this point forward. Our experience was a frustrating one. I am the type of person that needs to have a plan. I need to know what steps I am taking before I take them and I have everything written down. You guessed it, I also have a pro/con list for most all things I am tackling! I searched websites for information and…
“There is a bigger picture to all of this.” These are the words a good friend of ours said to me that truly gave me something to think about. He unknowingly changed our very perspective of all that was happening in the moments since finding out about our child being cleft affected. His name is Adrian and he is the father of three beautiful, smart, funny and silly girls! They are all different but I believe they all share the…
I hope that by finding me here you are looking for information and seeking help to get you through all of the information I’m sure you have had thrown at you or found on the internet. Take a deep breath and know that you are not alone. You are not the first parents to go through this and you will not be the last. My hope is that we all can help each other and pass that help on…
This poem by Sharon Harris spoke to me. Both as a mother and a mother to a child who has challenges.
Our pregnancy was a surprise. Leading up to this moment I had gone through a divorce and left that tragedy with a beautiful daughter who joined me in our journey forward. Along our journey we fell in love and he fell in love with us. We took it slow and really made sure that our relationship was going to be one that lasted. We married and both of us had talked about trying to have a child together. I had…