Steps to prepare for your child’s lip and palate repair:

1. Consultation: Meet with our fellowship-trained, board-certified craniofacial surgeon Dr. Biskup. She will discuss the procedure, expectations, and any concerns related to their cleft lip/palate and cleft surgery in Wichita, KS. She will examine your baby and his/her cleft to let you know the timeline of care and what to expect.

2. Medical Evaluation: Ensure the child is in good health for surgery and complete any necessary pre-operative tests. Make sure your pediatrician is aware that your baby is having surgery for their cleft lip and cleft palate in Wichita, KS and has no concerns about planned procedure.

3. Nutritional Assessment: Ensure the child is gaining weight and growing consistently leading up to surgery. Sometimes babies with cleft to struggle to gain weight. If this is an issue, there are local resources and specialty feeding clinics in Wichita that can help improve seating tolerance.Though we do not have minimum weight requirement prior to cleft surgery in Wichita, KS, your child should be well-nourished and gaining weight prior to surgery.

4. Mental Preparation: Educate yourself about the procedure and recovery process to alleviate anxiety. Some parents find it helpful to join parent support groups. American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association https://acpacares.org offers many such resources.

5. Arrange Support: Organize assistance for childcare and household duties during the recovery period. Many families have multiple children whose care needs to be arranged. Take appropriate amount of time off of work. Most babies stay one night in the hospital after their cleft lip and palate repair in Wichita, KS. Children with a cleft palate may need a longer hospital stay. Typically, babies can return to daycare at 1 week or sooner after their cleft lip repair or cleft palate repair.

6. Follow Pre-Op Instructions: Follow our instructions regarding fasting, medications, and other pre/post-operative protocols. Typically, hard objects and toys should be avoided for 6 weeks, as should crunchy foods such as cheerios/puffs/chips. Pack your child’s favorite stuffies and blankies to recreate a familiar environment at the hospital. Familiar smells and sounds as home can be very comforting. Don’t be afraid to hold and snuggle your baby. Though there may be fresh surgical sites and bandages, physical comfort is very helpful after cleft lip surgery in Wichita KS.

7. Emotional Support: We are always happy to be there for you to provide emotional support for both your baby and you throughout the process.

If you child has a cleft lip and/or palate and you have questions about recovery, please call our center at (316)241-8363 or direct message us on Instagram @kscleftcraniofacial or contact us through our website https://kscleftcraniofacialcenter.com/request-appointment/