Can cleft lip be detected? Can cleft lip be completely repaired?

It is very necessary for expectant mothers to have regular prenatal checkups during pregnancy, as it can detect fetal problems in time and avoid lifelong regrets. So can cleft lip be detected during prenatal checkups? Can cleft lip be completely repaired?

Can cleft lip be detected?

It can be seen from the four-dimensional examination. A four-dimensional color ultrasound can clearly show the baby's condition and whether it is healthy. It is ideal to conduct a detailed fetal malformation test at 22 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. During this period, the fetal anatomical structure has been formed and can be displayed by ultrasound. The fetal size and amniotic fluid are moderate, and the bone echo is less affected. The image is clear, and most fetal malformations can be manifested during this period. Generally, B-ultrasound can determine whether there is a cleft lip. In order to prevent cleft lip in newborns, pregnant women should pay attention to balanced nutritional intake, avoid viral infection, and do not use drugs that affect embryonic development. In the first 3 months of pregnancy, avoid all adverse mental stimulation. It is recommended that women who are preparing to become pregnant and take folic acid supplements in the first three months of pregnancy also avoid close relatives marrying and having children.

Can a cleft lip be completely repaired?

According to medical data, the treatment of cleft lip and palate is a series of treatments, and none of them can be ignored. The purpose of treatment is to restore the normal shape of the upper lip and normal language function. If the operation is effective, there will generally be no serious sequelae. After cleft lip surgery, there are often different degrees of nasal deformities, that is, flat and collapsed nostrils on the cleft side, crooked nose tip, etc., and nasal deformity correction surgery should be performed at the age of five or six. In addition, children with cleft lip and palate often have uneven maxillary teeth, and they should also undergo dental orthodontic treatment.

Complete cleft lip and palate repair requires multiple surgeries, including cleft lip repair, cleft palate repair, pharyngeal reduction surgery, alveolar ridge repair, columella plastic surgery, lip repair, etc. The number of surgeries varies depending on the condition. During the operation, voice training must be carried out continuously, which is a long process.

First, before the operation, the child should be registered for long-term follow-up. Obstetricians and gynecologists and pediatricians will conduct a comprehensive physical examination of the child, answer questions, guide the correct feeding method, and inform the child's relatives of the precautions during the entire cleft lip and palate treatment sequence.

Secondly, usually, unilateral cleft lip repair surgery is performed when the child is 3 to 6 months old, while bilateral cleft lip surgery is usually performed when the child is 6 to 12 months old. Most of the time, it is performed when the child is 12 to 18 months old.

Third, the postoperative treatment of the surgery is also critical. After cleft lip repair surgery, the cleft of the palate has been repaired, but the child's pronunciation may still have a strong nasal tone. The child's pronunciation should be checked within six months after the surgery, and early speech training should be performed. If the pronunciation is still not significantly improved, a secondary pharyngoplasty can be considered at around 4 to 5 years old. In addition, children with cleft lip and palate are often accompanied by uneven teeth. Orthodontic treatment of teeth and treatment of secondary deformities of the jaw and face can be performed. For patients with severe cleft lip and palate, 9 to 11 years old is the ideal age for bone grafting to repair the cleft gums. In addition, since it is difficult to satisfactorily correct the existing secondary deformities of the nose, lips and jaws in one operation, a secondary reconstructive surgery should be performed after the child's growth and development is completed (17-18 years old for males and 15 years old for females).

Finally, after cleft lip and palate surgery, patients should not eat too hot food, keep the wound clean, drink a small amount of warm water, and rest more. They should avoid bumping the wound area, which is not good for the recovery of the disease.

What are the effects of cleft lip on children's lives?

1. If the child's condition is congenital, surgery should be performed if possible, because the older the child is, the worse the surgical repair effect will be. Some children will not look good even after surgery. If conditions permit, it is better to let the child undergo surgery as much as possible.

2. A child's life will be changed due to cleft lip and palate, and he or she may develop psychological illness, so special attention should be paid to him or her, and psychological counseling should be actively provided so that teachers and classmates can understand. You should not even look at him or her from a worldly perspective and make him or her feel inferior forever. Instead, you should tell him or her to live bravely and get rid of the shadow of inferiority.

3. There are definitely some inconveniences in life. If a child is very young, it is easy for him to have difficulty in feeding, which may lead to malnutrition. If the child is older, his eating habits may also be affected. Some of his functions may not be perfect, and he may not speak clearly. Over time, it may cause bone deformation.

Note: There are patients with cleft lip and palate every year, and the number is astonishing, so it is very important for mothers to start from the pregnant period to give birth to a healthy baby, especially because of the great impact it will have on the baby's life.