Meeting the Challenge of Feeding a New Born Infant with Cleft Lip and Palate- A Case Report

Cleft-lip-palate could be an anomalousness occurring because of malunion during development which is related to feeding issues within the new born infant. The oronasal communication reduces the creation of a negative pressure, which helps in suckling. Feeding prosthesis is an appliance to beat this challenge, aiding in feeding. Cleft anomalies are related to issues in feeding due to communication established between mouth and nasal cavity that makes it onerous for the baby to take care of adequate nutrition levels. This clinical report describes one visit technique for fabrication of feeding prosthesis for a one month new born infant born with cleft lip and palate, a congenital abnormality, which helps the newborn infant to feed milk avoiding regurgitation. The feeding plate is fabricated using acrylic resin which acts as a temporary prosthesis for feeding the baby till surgical correction is planned. The feeding prosthesis could be a prosthetic aid that helps in obturating the cleft by re-establishing and restoring the separation between the oral and nasal cavities. It helps to form a stiff platform towards which the baby will press the nipple and suck milk. This corrective prosthesis improves feeding by reducing the time needed for feeding that helps in weight gain and conjointly reduces nasal regurgitation. The prosthesis conjointly prevents and protects the tongue from getting into the cleftal defect and intrusive with the spontaneous growth of the palatal shelves towards midline. The prosthesis reduces the flow of food into the nasopharyanx, thus decreasing the incidence of Otis media and oro-naso pharyngeal infections.