The Smile Train Cleft Lip/ Palate Centre

The Congenital Lip and Palate anomaly has a very important place in Health care due to Epidemiology, Etiology, Surgery, Orthodontic, Speech Pathology and Prosthetic Rehabilitation. These children are handicapped right from birth for breast feeding, deglutition, recurrent naso-bronchial infection, defective speech, deafness, improper growth and development of maxillary arch and face, affecting the total personality of the individual.

The Medical Professionals have a responsibility to rehabilitate these children aesthetically, psychologically and functionally. Correct age for Cleft Lip surgery is 3 months; correct age for Palate surgery is 6 months to 1 year and 2 months to get best speech. The District Collector, The District Rehabilitation Officer and the Project Officer ICDS of each and every district of Tamilnadu are playing a vital role to conduct Cleft Lip/Palate Screening Camps. The smiles are possible only because of the grant assistance by the The Smile Train USA.