Every parent, new and experienced, has a certain preference on what gender of baby they hope to receive. Some parents pray to have a little girl, while others cross their fingers to have a little boy. But what all parents have in common is that they hope they give birth to a healthy and happy baby. At the end of the day, no one wants to see their child have to grow up struggling with health issues at such an innocent age. It can be a burden on not only the parents, but most importantly the growing child as well.
That is why this article is fully centered around how the voice of the child can be heard and protected through such a distressful process. The main birth defect discussed is Cleft Lip and/ or Palate (CL +/- P), which is an abnormality of the facial structures located on the upper or lower lips. By using this topic, a team of psychologists will be lending their advice on how to carefully and effectively accept, understand, and support a child as its parents during the surgical and emotional journey. The goal is to recruit awareness and encouragement for children who are dealing with this issue through the treatment and recovery process.
According to Zulauf, Spinelli, and Rosenberg (2018) caregivers of children who are diagnosed with CL +/- P face an overwhelmingly extra amount of stress compared to other caregivers not experiencing this. Being that parenthood has its existing challenges, it is safe to assume that the parents of children with birth defects have a hard time settling with this reality. Zulauf et al. (2018) explained that when caregivers are in denial about the child’s condition, it not only blocks their capability to accept the diagnosis, but it also makes it harder for the child to do so as well. If the parents are having difficulty receiving this information, then you could only imagine how hard it is for the child to come to terms with their condition. This could lead to the child not being confident in themselves and feeling alone.
The team of psychologists share their advice on how to healthily accept your child’s medical condition; They feel that it is best to talk about how they feel about the child’s illness and how they cope with it (Zulauf et al. 2018). Their job is to assess and support the feelings of the parents to reassure them that they are not in this alone. By doing so they will be able to selflessly encourage and be their for their child, so that they are not selfishly putting their worries before the child’s.
Understanding that this journey may bring about new challenges in each stage of the child’s life is very important. The article goes into discussing how when the child starts to enter school beginning at the age of five there will be many things to expect. For example, since the treatment process of children with CL +/- P is mandatory and consuming, the child will miss out on a significant amount of school time and result in low grades (Zulauf et al. 2018). Students with this illness may also experience other learning disorders, such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which would require special support from the school (Zulauf et al. 2018).
This process can be confusing for caregivers if they are not educated on how to go about seeking extra assistance for their child without making them feel outcasted. The team of psychologists are the ones who provide resources, evaluations, recommendations, and personally become the spokesperson for the child (Zulauf et al. 2018). By extending their services, psychologists are making sure that the child’s unique learning needs are met and that their voice is not silenced through all the chaos.
The final stage of the child’s journey is when they become an adolescent and can begin to make personal decisions on their treatment. When you are growing up and experiencing changes to your body, it can make you more self-conscience. Children dealing with CL +/- P experience that and more due to their condition (Zulauf et al. 2018). The young adult may be juggling between the transition of dependence and independence. So the psychologists have formulated ways to encourage the adolescent to uphold its voice and have a say in their treatment. Psychologists suggest that the adolescent become more involved when attending doctors visits to ensure they are as educated as possible on their condition (Zulauf et al. 2018). This can help them better gauge what procedures of treatment they feel is best for them.
All in all the moral theme of this article is empowerment, whether that be you becoming empowered or helping someone else spark their own while dealing with a condition similar to Cleft Lip or Palate. It is always heartwarming to see how far support and encouragement can go when aiding with an illness.
Figure 1. A child in India who has a Cleft Lip.
Sources:
Zulauf, C., Spinelli, T., & Rosenberg, J. (2018). Advocating for the Child: The Role of Pediatric Psychology for Children With Cleft Lip and/or Palate. Plastic Surgical Nursing: Official Journal Of The American Society Of Plastic And Reconstructive Surgical Nurses, 38(3), 114–120. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSN.0000000000000232
Trinity Care Foundation. (2014). Cleft Lip. Retrieved
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