Cleft Lip & Palate Surgery
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Cleft Lip & Palate Surgery in Dera Ismail Khan
Finding out your child has a cleft lip or palate — whether during pregnancy or right after birth — can feel overwhelming. Cleft lip and palate surgery at Dr. Zohaib Hassan’s clinic is focused on giving your child what they need most: the ability to feed properly, develop clear speech, and grow up with a natural facial appearance, addressed through carefully timed, specialized surgical care.
Understanding Cleft Lip & Palate
A cleft lip occurs when the tissue forming the upper lip doesn’t fully join before birth, while a cleft palate involves an opening in the roof of the mouth. The two can occur separately or together, and severity varies from a small notch in the lip to a complete separation affecting both the lip and palate. Beyond appearance, clefts can affect feeding, speech development, hearing, and dental alignment — which is why treatment is usually planned in stages, timed around your child’s growth.
Procedures We Offer
1) Cleft Lip Repair
Typically performed around 3 to 6 months of age, this procedure closes the separation in the lip, restoring normal appearance and supporting proper feeding and muscle function around the mouth.
2) Cleft Palate Repair
Usually performed between 9 and 18 months, this procedure closes the opening in the roof of the mouth, which is essential for normal speech development and reducing the risk of feeding or hearing complications.
3) Alveolar Bone Grafting
For clefts affecting the upper jaw, bone grafting (typically done in later childhood) supports dental development and stabilizes the area for permanent teeth.
4) Revision Surgery
For children who need further refinement of lip or nasal appearance as they grow, or to address scarring from earlier repairs, revision surgery helps achieve a more balanced, natural result.
4) Speech-Related Surgical Correction
In cases where speech remains affected after initial palate repair, further surgical correction can help address air escaping through the nose during speech (velopharyngeal insufficiency).
Dr. Hassan works with a treatment timeline tailored to your child’s specific cleft type and developmental stage — not a fixed, one-size-fits-all schedule.
What to Expect
- Initial Assessment — Evaluation of the cleft type, severity, and your child’s overall feeding and health status.
- Treatment Timeline Planning — A staged surgical plan mapped out according to your child’s age and growth milestones.
- Surgery — Each procedure is timed to support the next stage of your child’s development, from feeding to speech to dental growth.
- Recovery — Post-operative care instructions for feeding, wound care, and activity restrictions, explained clearly for parents.
- Long-Term Follow-Up — Ongoing monitoring through childhood to track speech development, dental alignment, and facial growth, with further care as needed.
Why Parents Choose This Clinic
- Specialized cleft surgery experience under Dr. Zohaib Hassan
- A staged treatment approach built around your child’s growth and development
- Clear communication with parents at every step of a long-term care journey
- Attention to both function (feeding, speech) and natural facial appearance
When Should Treatment Begin?
Cleft lip repair is generally recommended around 3 to 6 months, with palate repair following between 9 and 18 months. Additional procedures may continue through childhood and adolescence depending on your child’s needs. Early evaluation — even before birth, if diagnosed prenatally — allows for better treatment planning from day one.
Give your child the best start with the right care plan. Book a consultation with Dr. Zohaib Hassan to discuss cleft lip and palate treatment options.
Book Appointment
Schedule your consultation today with ease and take the first step toward personalized expert medical care.
Phone
0966 710111