Cleft Clinic 2014

Lilly and I spent the morning at Parkview Hospital for a cleft clinic.  Lilly has been seen by a couple of the doctors on the team already for individual things, but this is the first time the collective team has reviewed her for a plan. Here is the breakdown of what they found -

Pastic Surgeon/Physician Assistant/RN
Lilly's palate is healing very well.  We will have to keep an eye on it as she grows.  As of right now, it does not look like she will need additional surgeries, but we can't rule it out completely.  She sees her plastic surgeon once a year to monitor how things are going.

Dietitian
Lilly is such a great eater.  I mentioned that she eats all day, but the dietitian didn't seem concerned that she would over-eat, since she is still so skinny and active.  Lilly is eating all types of textures now.  She has no problem swallowing food.  I think Lilly just really loves eating and having food available to her.  She's starting to recognize when she feels full, because there are times when she doesn't clean her plate.  We've notice how muscular she seems now.

Pediatric Dentist/Orthodontists
The dentist will see Lilly in February for a cleaning and will look more closely at her teeth, but mentioned that all of her teeth are growing in well and look good. The orthodontist said her mouth does not show any typical cleft palate signs.  Her cleft palate was far enough back in her mouth that it didn't cause problems in her teeth.  She will probably need orthodontics for her over-bite, but that is not a cleft palate issue.  He thinks her two front teeth are wavy (they look chipped) because she clenched her teeth while she slept at the orphanage and wore them down.  He does not think it's from malnutrition or a fall.

Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist
Since we were just in last week to have Lilly's wax removed and we're going in next week to have tubes put in, Dr. Reddy just popped in and said hi.  Lilly's ear appointments are about every 3 months.  We have to go in regularly to check for wax, fluid, and see how her hearing aids are working.  Lilly's hearing loss will warrant frequent appointments.

Speech Language Pathologist
The speech therapist suggested that in addition to speech services through the school system, Lilly should see a speech/language therapist through the hospital.  She thinks Lilly would benefit from having a speech teacher who knows the anatomy of a cleft palate mouth and can work on the physical aspect of her speech and not just hearing and repeating sounds.  Our insurance should cover this, but we will probably have to be put on a waiting list.  She also gave me ideas of what to do at home.

Everyone thought Lilly was, of course, so sweet and stylish.  She makes an impression on everyone she meets.  She has come a long way!  I'm thankful for all these professionals and their willingness to help.