Satpal S Sandhu
Genesis Institute of Dental Sciences and Research
India
Title: Management of cleft lip and palate – Psychological considerations
Biography
Biography: Satpal S Sandhu
Abstract
WHO data reveal that craniofacial anomalies affect approximately 1:500–700 live births, with cleft lip and palate (CLP) being the most common and the ratio varying widely across geographic locations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently estimated that, each year in the United States, about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate. Evidence shows that, in addition to coping with their physical appearance, children with cleft anomaly in general have to deal with their psychological issues/ psycho-social limitations like lowered self esteem and difficulties in social interaction. Existing multispecialty care is primarily aimed at physical rehabilitation with the psychological issues of care often being neglected. It is recommended that every member of cleft care team should have basic understanding of various psychological issues of concern to CLP patients and their parents so that these issues can be taken care of during the management of cleft lip and palate. The need to provide psychological support to CLP patients and their parents is critical because of extensive and prolonged surgical and rehabilitative interventions, including orthodontic treatment, throughout the childhood and adolescence as the child’s face grows from birth to adolescence. This paper discusses the various psychosocial issues amongst children and adults with cleft lip and cleft palate.