Cleft patients have something to smile about

Every year in India, 35,000 children are born with clefts. To understand in numbers, 1 in 700 births is a cleft birth. Cleft lip and cleft palate are the openings that are found amongst children that usually leaves any parent in misery. This cleft of both lip and palate can be diagnosed through a pre scan if performed before the delivery of the child. 90 per cent of the cleft cases are not transmitted and happen out of chance. To help and support the children with cases of cleft, Smile Train India has established free treatment along with transport facilities after the cleft surgery is being provided to the children with cleft. Smile Train is a charity that focuses only on cleft lips and palates. Smile Train has provided over 4.5 lakh free cleft lip and palate surgeries. In Hyderabad alone, they have helped provide over 12,500 free surgeries for underprivileged children.

Smile Train and its associated hospitals collaborate with Rajiv Vidya Mission to provide education for children with cleft cases.

“If cleft is not removed the person will have to face severe upper respiratory infection, along with several other health problems," says Dr Mukund Reddy, a senior surgeon with Smile Train.

Surgeries for cleft can depend basing on the patient. In one sitting a general cleft can be removed, and the child can lead a normal life, if he/she is operated before nine months. If the surgery takes place after nine months, the child still can lead a normal life but not exactly like the ordinary one. Speech Therapy, where the child is trained about the pronunciation and speaking is taught for children who have undergone surgery after nine months. There are additional surgeries after the cleft is removed to correct the teeth and for cosmetic appearance. The interest of the patient allows doctors to perform further more surgeries.

Speaking about the reasons for children with cleft, Suhail Azeem, audiologist with Smile Train, opined, "Improper nutrition and more exposure to radiation before the delivery could be the possible reasons.”

He added, "Cleft when removed in early age, allows children to lead a better life."

General problems that children face with cleft are the inability to pronounce properly, hearing problems and difficulty in swallowing food and liquids.

"There is a great need for emotional support that the children with cleft require after operation," added Sohail.

"For few weeks the child should be given liquid diet and later they can eat anything of their choice," he concluded.

“Most do not go to school or get a job. Fortunately, a simple surgery that lasts as little as 45 minutes can correct the cleft and transform the life of a child,” opined Mamta Carrol, regional director for Smile Train in South Asia.

“Our endeavour is to not only help provide free, safe and quality surgeries, but also complete and holistic rehabilitation for the cleft child with facilities like speech therapy and orthodontics so that the child grows up to become an integrated and contributing member of the society,” she added.

"We are very happy for getting support from The Smile Train,” said Mehabuba, a parent of a cleft child who got operated with Smile Train. She added that their family was at depression until before her only son got treated for cleft. "Now my son can lead a normal life like any other child", she concluded.

Divya Vallabhaneni