A Parent's Guide to Cleft Lip and Palate

A Parent’s Guide to Cleft Lip and Palate was first published in 1990.This clear and comprehensive guide was written to help parents and health professionals better understand the nature, cause, and treatment of cleft lip and palate, which annually affects one out of 600 to 700 infants born in the United States and Canada. The authors emphasize the positive outlook for successful treatment of children with clefts and the vital role parents and caregivers play in this treatment.The authors begin by describing the different types of clefts, how they develop, and what causes them. Subsequent chapters are devoted to surgical treatment, feeding, hearing, speech development, dental problems, and psychosocial adjustment -- providing practical information on the types of help available, where it can be obtained, and the results that can be expected. Liberally augmented with case histories relating the treatment experiences of children and their families, the text is illustrated with diagrams and photographs and includes a glossary plus appendixes ranging in content from a list of professional associations and parent support groups to a comprehensive listing of suggested readings.

Karlind Moller is a professor of communication disorders and director of the Ralph B. Kersten Cleft Palate Maxillofacial and Craniofacial Clinic at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.