Haiti. The young lady in question is scheduled to have her second operation to correct a cleft palate. Cleft lip (also known as cheiloschisis) and cleft palate (also known as palatoschisis) continue to be a big problem in developing nations, where millions of people, the most of whom are children, are striving to live as normally as possible. The majority of them are unable to properly eat or communicate, and some of them aren’t even permitted to go to school or hold jobs.
Mogadishu, Somalia. A distressed mother attempts to soothe her infant who is hungry but is unable to provide sufficient suction to latch on to her breast. The youngster is becoming more agitated.
Haiti. One of the most prevalent major birth abnormalities, cleft lip and/or cleft palate affects more than 5,000 newborns annually in the United States alone, making it one of the most common major birth defects overall.
Orofacial clefts are holes in the lip or palate (roof of mouth) that are produced by an incomplete development during early fetal formation. These openings may be seen in people who have orofacial clefts. Problems linked with it include trouble with eating, middle ear infections, hearing loss, dental deformities, and speech difficulties. In addition, there are a variety of cultural and societal stigmas associated with it.
The parents of a youngster in Fermathe, Haiti, who was born with an uncommon bilateral cleft lip and palate make their way to the Baptist Mission Hospital. In 2009, Smile Train sent its first mission to Haiti, which was led by a group of medical professionals and nurses from Surgical Volunteers International.
Haiti. In most cases, the reason of cleft lip and palate cannot be determined. Clefts are thought to be caused by a confluence of environmental and genetic variables, according to the majority of scientific opinion. One further thing to think about is whether or not the woman took any medicine or was infected with a virus when she was pregnant.
Haiti. In many underdeveloped countries, having a cleft lip or palate at birth brings with it a social shame. A child that is born in Uganda with a cleft lip or palate is given the name “Ajok,” which literally means “cursed by God.” Some infants are either murdered or left to pass shortly after birth.
Mogadishu, Somalia. When I was gathering evidence for another project in Mogadishu, Somalia, one of the places I visited was an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. I came across these three little children there.
During my stay in Somalia, I was able to assist in the organization of two corrective operations because to my association with the organization Smile Train. This photograph was taken early on the morning before his operation.
My sincere gratitude goes out to the chief surgeon at Medina Hospital in Mogadishu for his assistance in facilitating my attempts to provide these youngsters with a new beginning.
Haiti. It is common for children born with a cleft lip and/or palate to have dental issues. These may include teeth that are missing, crooked, or otherwise abnormally positioned. Because of this, there is a possibility that there will be a defect in the gums or the bone that supports the teeth. Permanent teeth may be displaced, rotated, or tipped due to defects in the ridge, and these defects can also hinder permanent teeth from coming in correctly.
Hebron, Palestine. During a day devoted to medical screenings at the Al-Ahli hospital, a youngster was seen to have a bilateral cleft lip.
Haiti. A child who is suffering from a cold is given a second lung field examination by an anesthesiologist. It was determined that the infant was too little and too light for the procedure, thus it was postponed to a later date.
