Maxillofacial surgeons say many challenges faced by patients with cleft lip and palate can be reduced through early intervention, proper care and risk-reduction strategies.
They emphasised that treating cleft lip or palate is not just about surgery, but also about restoring confidence, improving communication and helping patients thrive socially.
The surgeons from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, stated this in a World Oral Health Day message made available to reporters.
The message was authored by Dr. Fatima Kyari, Dr. Adekunle Adegbayi, Dr. Adamson Olatunbosun, Ayelomi Oluwanifemi, Prof. James Olutayo, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo and Prof. Mobolanle Ogunlewe.
World Oral Health Day, celebrated annually on March 20, seeks to unite efforts to reduce the burden of oral diseases affecting individuals, health systems and economies.
They spoke on the topic, “Challenges and Management of Children with Cleft Lip and Palate.”
Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are congenital birth defects that occur when facial tissues fail to fully join in the womb, resulting in openings in the upper lip or roof of the mouth.
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that globally, one in every 700 children is born with the condition.
The agency also reports that no fewer than 19,000 children with clefts are born yearly in Africa, with about 12,000 in West Africa and 6,000 in Nigeria.
WHO included CLP in its global burden of disease initiatives in 2008.
The surgeons noted that children with cleft lip and palate face numerous challenges, including speech defects, psychosocial issues, and abnormalities in the size, shape and position of teeth.
“More worrisome for parents is feeding difficulty, which often leads to malnutrition.
“This is mainly due to the anatomical defect in the palate, with oronasal communication preventing the development of the necessary seal and intraoral pressure for suckling. This predisposes them to frequent aspiration and recurrent respiratory tract infections.
“All these factors contribute to failure to thrive and poor nutrition.
“Feeding time is often prolonged and exhausting for both the baby and the mother, placing considerable stress on the caregiver and affecting the child’s overall nutrition,” they said.
They noted that cleft lip and palate cannot be completely prevented, as they result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
However, they said early diagnosis, timely surgical intervention and continuous support from specialised cleft care teams can significantly reduce the associated challenges.
They stressed that taking folic acid before and during pregnancy, avoiding alcohol and unprescribed medications or herbal concoctions, treating maternal illnesses and undergoing genetic testing can help lower the risk.
They emphasised that a multidisciplinary, team-based approach has been the standard of care since 1938, when the first such team was established.
According to them, such teams should include specialists in audiology, radiology, genetic counselling, neurology and neurosurgery, nursing, nutrition, plastic and reconstructive surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, otorhinolaryngology and paediatric medicine.
“Successful long-term outcomes depend on individualised, fully integrated treatment delivered in a coordinated manner,” they said.
They disclosed that comprehensive cleft care, in collaboration with Smile Train, is provided free of charge at the cleft clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and urged the public to take advantage of the service.
