Cleft Lip & Palate Management

This nursing cheatsheet will help you learn about the management of cleft lip and palate. Cleft lip and palate are congenital anomalies, with cleft lip being a slit in the lip extending into the nose and cleft palate being an opening in the roof of the mouth. They can occur together or separately​​. These conditions arise during the 7th or 8th week of pregnancy, with genetic and environmental factors implicated. Risk factors include maternal use of certain medications, diabetes, and smoking​​. The desired outcomes for patients include normal breathing patterns, adequate nutrition, and optimal hearing and speech​​. Subjective data involves difficulty feeding and hearing loss, while objective data include the physical cleft, aspiration of food or secretions, ear infections, and speech difficulties​​. Nursing interventions focus on assessing skin color and capillary refill to check for oxygenation issues, abdominal distention due to feeding difficulties, respiratory status to prevent aspiration-related complications, and the infant's sucking ability. Special nipples or feeding tools are used to reduce aspiration risk. Suctioning of nasal and oral passages, monitoring weight and caloric intake, and preparing the family for surgery are also crucial. Referrals for dental, speech, and auditory consults are made to address associated complications​​.