• There are many different types of craniofacial differences.
o The most common, cleft lip and palate, most often occurs by chance and there is not a clear genetic reason to explain why someone has a cleft.
o Some craniofacial differences have an underlying genetic cause, and genetic testing can be helpful in understanding if there are any other health concerns associated with a person's craniofacial difference.
• If you are interested in understanding why you have a craniofacial difference, a genetics team can discuss why craniofacial differences occur and if genetic testing could be helpful.
• If you have personal or family history of craniofacial differences, you can meet with prenatal genetic counselor to discuss the chances of having a child with a craniofacial difference.
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• Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are essential in providing assessment and intervention for feeding/dysphagia and speech disorders from infancy through adulthood for individuals with craniofacial differences.
• Craniofacial anomalies such as cleft lip/palate, craniosynostosis, and craniofacial microsomia frequently result in feeding difficulties due to structural and functional impairments affecting sucking, swallowing, and airway protection. SLPs collaborate with other specialists to optimize feeding strategies, which may include specialized bottles, positional changes, and, in severe cases, surgical interventions or tube feeding to ensure adequate nutrition and prevent aspiration.
• Speech development is also commonly affected in children with craniofacial differences. Structural anomalies can lead to velopharyngeal insufficiency, hypernasality, articulation errors, and delayed language acquisition. SLPs are responsible for early identification, ongoing monitoring, and targeted therapy to address these deficits, working closely with other specialists.
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• The Department of Pediatric Feeding Disorders has an interdisciplinary team to address all aspects of a feeding concern (medical, nutritional, feeding skill, and behavioral health) and provide individualized treatment that fits your child. We only do feeding all day, everyday, which gives us the experience and expertise needed to address the complex needs of individuals with craniofacial differences.
• We have a unique 8-week, all-day treatment program to give your child a jump start when they need to learn to eat baby food, drink fluids, and/or learn to chew.
• We also have an interdisciplinary outpatient program (one appointment weekly) staffed with all of the healthcare professionals your child needs to learn to eat and drink, including a psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and registered dietitian. We offer joint appointments during which multiple disciplines work with you and your child at the same time to treat your child as effectively and efficiently as possible.
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There are many resources available at #unmcMMI to assist with #craniofacial differences. To learn more about the Departments of Genetic Medicine, Speech-Language Pathology, and Pediatric Feeding Disorders, visit:
www.unmc.edu/mmi/services...
#mmiGeneticMedicine #mmiSLP #mmiFeeding
