Craniofacial Center

Psychology

While the birth of a child is a joyful experience, it also can be a difficult event for some parents and families when the child is born with a cleft lip or palate. Parents can experience multiple emotions - shock, sadness, fear, grief, guilt, anger - that may disrupt the balance of the family.

It is important that parents learn how manage these feelings, accept their baby's diagnosis, learn to cope with multiple medical needs, and adjust to having a new family member.

While children born with cleft lip and or palates will face many challenges, it's important to provide a loving environment and support system for them. In order to do that, the family must cope with the complexity of stressors and adaptions that are a part of childhood. Some main areas of concern include social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.

Seeking help from a psychologist can help be a step in the right direction toward helping a child and their family with adjusting to their condition. The psychologists at UI Health's Craniofacial Center offer the following services:

• Individual therapy
• Family counseling
• Parent training
• Pre-surgical consults
• Postsurgical consults

If recommended, the psychologist also can provide testing to give important feedback about a child's learning and cognitive levels and help identify any attention deficits. Our psychologist is here to provide support for you and your child throughout the treatment process.