Hospitalization, Breast-Milk Feeding, and Growth in Infants with Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip and Palate Born in Denmark

• Published in: The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal 2008-11, Vol.45 (6), p.628-632
• Main Authors: Smedegaard, Lisa H. V., Marxen, Dorthe R. N., Moes, Jette H. V., Glassou, Eva N., Scientsan, Cand
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Birth Weight; Breast Feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cleft Lip - physiopathology; Cleft Palate - physiopathology; Counseling; Deformities; Denmark; Dentistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Growth; Hospitalization; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Length of Stay; Male; Medical sciences; Mother-Child Relations; Mouth; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Physical growth; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 1055-6656; 1545-1569
• DOI: 10.1597/07-007.1

Objective: To evaluate if the duration of postpartum hospitalization, duration of breast-milk feeding, and growth during the first year of life in infants with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and cleft palate (CP) are comparable to infants without facial clefts. Design: Prospective data collection using a registration chart developed by the authors. Setting: Special health care of infants with CLP/CP born in Denmark. Participants: All mature infants with CLP/CP born in 2003 and 2004 were included. Of 165 infants, 115 participated in the study. Intervention: In Denmark, parents of children with CLP/CP receive counseling. This counseling is managed by specially trained health visitors/nurses and is initiated at birth. The counseling seeks to support parents’ confidence in having an infant with CLP/CP and to initiate a relationship between the infant and the parents. Main Outcome Measures: Duration of postpartum hospitalization, duration of breast-milk feeding, and weight and length at birth, 5 months of age, and 12 months of age. Results: Hospitalization was 4 days and comparable to that of infants without CLP/CP. The infants with CLP/CP received breast milk but for a shorter period compared with infants without CLP/CP. Weights at birth, 5 months of age, and 12 months of age were identical with Danish growth references. Conclusion: The authors find the results satisfactory and believe that the counseling provided by the health visitors/nurses plays a part in the results.