Aikins E A, Akinbami B O
Odontostomatol Trop. 2016 Sep;39(155):32-8.
Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) deformities are the most common congenital abnormalities of the orofacial structures. Affected individuals experience major clinical, functional, aesthetic and psychosocial impacts.
The aim of our study was to identify the perceptions, expectations and reactions of parents and caregivers to cleft lip and palate surgery.
Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect data from parents/caregivers of patients with cleft lip and/or palate operated on by the cleft team at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Only three (2.8%) of the caregivers indicated that they knew the cause of CLP which they attributed to drugs, infections and contraceptives taken while about half of them admitted that they avoided taking these children to certain places. The participants were very concerned about the speech 15 (41.7%) and feeding 9 (25.0%) of the children. Most wanted the surgery performed in order to improve appearance 25 (69.5%), speech 8 (22.2%) and feeding 2 (5.6%). More than half of the parents/caregivers 21 (58.3%) expected excellent results from the surgery whilst 1 (2.8%) expected poor results. Most believed the surgery would indeed make a great difference in speech 14 (38.9%) and appearance 11 (30.6%). Majority, 30 (83%) were happy with the immediate outcome of the surgery and with their hospital experience 13, (36.1%).
This study revealed that most parents/caregivers of children with CLP believed this condition to be due to various factors and did not know the etiology. Expectations of the result of surgical repair of CLP surgery were high and their reactions were majorly positive.
唇腭裂（CL/P）畸形是口面部结构最常见的先天性异常。受影响的个体在临床、功能、美学和心理社会方面受到重大影响。
我们研究的目的是确定父母和照料者对唇腭裂手术的看法、期望和反应。
通过访谈者发放问卷，从哈科特港大学教学医院唇腭裂治疗团队为其实施手术的唇腭裂患者的父母/照料者那里收集数据。
只有三名（2.8%）照料者表示他们知道唇腭裂的病因，他们将其归因于药物、感染和孕期服用的避孕药，而大约一半的照料者承认他们避免带这些孩子去某些地方。参与者非常担心孩子的言语问题（15名，41.7%）和喂养问题（9名，25.0%）。大多数人希望进行手术以改善外貌（25名，69.5%）、言语（8名，22.2%）和喂养（2名，5.6%）。超过一半的父母/照料者（21名，58.3%）期望手术能取得优异效果，而1名（2.8%）期望效果不佳。大多数人认为手术确实会在言语（14名，38.9%）和外貌（11名，30.6%）方面带来很大改善。大多数人（占83%）对手术的即时效果以及他们在医院的经历感到满意（13名，36.1%）。
本研究表明，大多数唇腭裂患儿的父母/照料者认为这种情况是由多种因素导致的，并且不知道其病因。对唇腭裂手术修复结果的期望很高，而且他们的反应大多是积极的。
