Feeding In Cleft Lip And Cleft Palate Infants

Cleft lip and palate represents the second most frequently occurring congenital deformity after clubfoot deformity. These structural defects of the facial-oral complex may vary from slight notching of the lip or a small cleft in uvula to a complete separation of the lip and absence of the partition between the oral and nasal cavities. Babies with clefts of the lip and palate have problems during feeding. They find it difficult to latch onto the breast or feeding bottle to obtain an oral seal, which results in sucking problems and inadequate intake of food. Management of these special feeding problems depends on a detailed evaluation. This book lists the various problems faced by the Cleft lip and cleft palate infants and the different techniques by which the infant can be fed.