Luckily there is help at hand: How we can treat clefts.
Cleft lips and palates can be surgically closed. "Depending upon the characteristics of the cleft," explains Prof. Sailer, "the treatment can be completed with one single operation, for example in the case of an isolated cleft of the lip or the palate. But that has to be decided on a case-by-case basis."
Depending upon the characteristics of the cleft the treatment can be completed with one single operation.
In the case of more complex malformations, up to three to five operations may be necessary until completion of facial growth by the age of 15 - 18. "There are a number of preconditions required in order to start treatment", says the globally renowned cleft specialist, "A child with a cleft lip or palate in India should be at least six months old and weigh five kilos in order to be viable for operation. That way we are absolutely certain that the anaesthetic will not be problem for the organism." Until that time the child can use a palatal plate which separates the nasal from the oral cavity and allows the child to drink its mother's milk. In our Cleft-centres we now use special splints designed for "nasoalveolar moulding".
After the operation, most cleft-children require speech therapy in order to boost their speech development. Because without having normal, understandable speech it is hardly possible for a cleft-child to integrate into society.
Kwa bahati nzuri kuna msaada uliopo: Jinsi ya kutibu vidonda. Mdomo na mdomo uliotenganishwa waweza kufungwa kwa upasuaji. "Kulingana na sifa za ufa, matibabu yanaweza kukamilika kwa upasuaji mmoja tu, kwa mfano katika kesi ya ufa wa mdomo au wa mdomo. """ Lakini hilo lazima liamuliwe kila wakati". Ikitegemea sifa za ufa matibabu inaweza kukamilika na operesheni moja tu. Kwa wale ambao wana matatizo makubwa ya kimaumbile, upasuaji wa tatu hadi tano unaweza kuhitajika hadi kukamilika kwa ukuaji wa uso kufikia umri wa miaka 15-18. "Kuna hali kadhaa zinazohitajika ili kuanza matibabu, ""anasema mtaalamu maarufu wa ufa wa mdomo, ""Mtoto aliye na mdomo au mdomo uliogawanyika nchini India anapaswa kuwa na umri wa miezi sita na kupima kilo tano ili aweze kufanywa upasuaji." Kwa njia hiyo tuna uhakika kabisa kwamba dawa ya kutuliza haitakuwa tatizo kwa mwili." Kwa hivyo, mtoto anaweza kutumia sahani ya palatal ambayo hutenganisha pua na mdomo na kumruhusu kunywa maziwa ya mama. Katika vituo vyetu vya Cleft sasa tunatumia mipako maalum iliyoundwa kwa ajili ya "kufanyiza nasalveolar". Baada ya upasuaji huo, watoto wengi wenye ufa wanahitaji matibabu ya usemi ili kuimarisha uwezo wao wa kusema. Kwa sababu bila kuwa na usemi wa kawaida, unaoeleweka, haiwezekani kwa mtoto mwenye ugonjwa wa kiwiko kuungana na jamii.