Great Stories of Smiles from Around the World
Monday, November 24, 2008
Family adjusting to life with child stricken with rare disease
A dedicated mom loves her daughter with diverse symptoms:
Like any young child, Natali shakes a rattle, holds her own bottle, chews on toys, waves bye-bye and watches cartoons on television. Acevedo said she considers her daughter a gift from God.Read the whole story here: http://www.ocala.com/article/20081121/ARTICLES/811200261/1402/NEWS?Title=Local_family_adjusting_to_life_with_child_stricken_with_rare_disease posted by Pediatric Plastic Surgery
“I wouldn’t trade Natali for anything in the world,” Acevedo said. “Ever since she was born, I take her everywhere. When I’m out with her somewhere, at Wal-Mart or other stores and pushing her in her little wheelchair, and these older people come by, they look at her and keep going, then they turn around and say to me, ‘I thought you were pushing a little doll.’ They just fall in love with her.”
Sunday, November 23, 2008
'We love those little boys'
Here's the story of a family facing twins with rare congenital birth defects that continues to fight and love their twin sons:
Sleep is hard to come by. But to the family, it’s all worth the work and sacrifices. These little guys quickly worked their way into everyone’s hearts.Read the full story here: http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/nov/22/family-raising-twins-with-rare-syndrome/ posted by Pediatric Plastic Surgery
“They’re proving everybody wrong,” Poore said. They fight it when someone tries to hold them down, and they have fought against a lot of obstacles to be here today.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Adult patients with cleft lip or palate often require continuing multidisciplinary care for ongoing cleft-related issues
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adult patients with cleft lip or palate often require continuing multidisciplinary care for ongoing cleft-related issues
Chapel Hill, N.C. — A greater number of specialized or centralized care options may be needed for adults with cleft lip or palate, according to a new study, because these patients continue to face health and mental problems that often require the assistance of more than one specialist.
The patients include those continuing their care from childhood and others seeking new advice or intervention, according to authors Cher Bing Chuo, Yvonne Searle, Alison Jeremy, Bruce M. Richard, Ian Sharp, and Rona Slato. Their article, “The Continuing Multidisciplinary Needs of Adult Patients with Cleft Lip and/or Palate,” appeared in the October 2008 issue of The Cleft Palate–Craniofacial Journal, published by the American Cleft Palate–Craniofacial Association.
“Some adult patients of all ages and all cleft types continue to have problems related to their cleft lip and/or palate and want intervention for those problems,” according to the authors. The most common problem is persistent nasal deformity. Other issues include problems related to hearing, speech, teeth, and social life, plus concerns about social skills and social withdrawal.
The study examined patients who have been treated at adult multidisciplinary cleft clinics in the West Midlands, U.K., since June 2000. The researchers reviewed the number and nature of the patients’ problems and the types of treatment they required in 2004.
A total of 145 patients were seen in the adult cleft clinic. Of those, 55 patients attended as part of their continuing care. Ninety were newly referred as adults to the cleft service. Patients ranged in age from 15 to 70 years and had, on average, three clinical problems each.
According to the authors, “Intervention for the patients reviewed in this study included varied types of surgery, dental rehabilitation, psychological assessment and support, and speech assessment and therapy.”
The authors conclude, “The problems of adults with cleft lip and/or palate may be changing. Our study supports the need for a specialist multidisciplinary cleft clinic to provide continuing care for patients who have a history of cleft lip and/or palate.”
To read the entire study, visit: http://www.allenpress.com/pdf/cpcj-45-06-15.pdf
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The Cleft Palate–Craniofacial Journal is an international, interdisciplinary journal reporting on clinical and research activities in cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial anomalies, together with research in related laboratory sciences. For more information about the journal, see http://cpcj.allenpress.com/cpcjonline/?request=index-html.
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