Cleft lip and palate are among the most common birth defects in the U.S., yet for many, it feels like they’re not talked about enough.
“Honestly, to hear that anything is wrong with your kid or your pregnancy, it’s pretty devastating. I had no idea what a cleft was,” said Gloria Madera.
For that reason, Madera wants to help spread awareness. One in 700 babies is affected by a cleft lip and/or palate.
“It’s an all-encompassing term for deformity of the face and the skull,” said Dr. Alejandra Garcia De Mitchell.
Garcia De Mitchell explains that many cleft cases have no exact reason as to why they happened, adding that sometimes it is genetic.
“But there are some factors that do increase the incident, and those may be like diabetes or smoking and some medications,” Garcia de Mitchell went on to say, “It’s also important to know that this is not somebody’s fault.”
The doctor said that those who are born with the defect do go on to live happy and healthy lives but often require surgeries at a young age. Archie Madera, Gloria’s son, has undergone four in his three years of life.
“Depending on his development they’ll take a piece of bone from his hip and put it in his palate to expand it because your mouth grows,” said Gloria
As Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month comes to an end, both Gloria and Garcia de Mitchell hope there is continued and increased research and funding to better help families going forward.
