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My Angel at the age of 3. He is due for another nose/lip surgery in 6-12 months.
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My little angel right before lip surgery. 4 months old.
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Hi, I am a mom of 3 boys. So I am BUSY BUSY BUSY! I am also a wife and home maker and the founder of TEXAS CLEFT CONNECTIONS, an informal support network/group for families affected by Cleft lip or palate. I also have a 5 year old with Aspergers, ADHD & SID and a 3 year old born with Cleft lip and Palate.
A cleft lip is when the upper lip does not close or form all the way during fetal development. It happens very early in the pregnancy around 6+ weeks. It occurs in aprox 1 in 700 us births and mostly affects boys.
A Cleft Palate is when the Palate or roof of the mouth does not close or form all the way during fetal development. Cleft Palate can occur with a cleft lip or on its own. It happens aprox 8+ weeks.
The cause of Isolated Cleft lip and or Palate is not fully known. It can be due to genes. It can also be caused by environmental factors (Smoking, drug use, and other non ingested and unknown environmental causes). Most Cleft conditions are isolated which means they occur alone or with no other syndromes or birth defects. The condition can also occur with other syndromes or Birth defects. A baby born with an isolated Cleft condition is "normal" in every way that any other child is (aside from the lip and palate) and have no difference in brain function than that of children with out birth defects.
We do not know why our son was born with this condition. Most families (including mine) with a child born with this condition did "EVERYTHING RIGHT" during their pregnancy and it still occurs. For more information see one of the websites I have listed below or check out the March of Dimes website they have done extensive research on this condition.
I started selling on EBAY after my son was born with an isolated Cleft lip and Palate. I first started to help us pay his medical bills and therapy for him and his older brother and now in addition to that I help other families with the cost of buying their feeding supplies.
Feeding is the most dificult part of caring for a baby with a Cleft lip. they need special bottles to assist in suction because with out a Palate the baby can not form suction or "suck" a bottle.
Babies/children with Cleft Lip and Palate will need at least 2-3 surgeries between the ages of 3-18 months and several more over the course of their lives.
Thank you so much for your interest and if you would like to volunteer or help Texas Cleft Connections or find out more about cleft conditions contact me at April@texascleftconnections.org
Our Ebay store is www.texascleftconnections.com
Our support group website is www.texascleftconnections.org
Please visit my auctions and store. I am really enjoying the people here on EBAY and I am so glad to be a part of this wonderful community. !
I also run a party favor business called Celebrity Party Favors
You can also check out our Great Danes at
www.Prestigedanes.com
Check out my Awesome Auctions
I list items weekly.
We have 3 Beautiful Great Danes but they do not smoke and neither do we!
Thanks, and Blessings to you.
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