Perceptions, expectations, and reactions of caregivers to cleft lip and palate repair in a tertiary hospital.

Background: Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) deformities are the most common congenital abnormalities of the orofacial structures. Affected individuals experience major clinical, functional, aesthetic and psychosocial impacts.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to identify the perceptions, expectations and reactions of parents and caregivers to cleft lip and palate surgery.

Materials and methods: Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect data from parents/caregivers of patients with cleft lip and/or palate operated on by the cleft team at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.

Results: Only three (2.8%) of the caregivers indicated that they knew the cause of CLP which they attributed to drugs, infections and contraceptives taken while about half of them admitted that they avoided taking these children to certain places. The participants were very concerned about the speech 15 (41.7%) and feeding 9 (25.0%) of the children. Most wanted the surgery performed in order to improve appearance 25 (69.5%), speech 8 (22.2%) and feeding 2 (5.6%). More than half of the parents/caregivers 21 (58.3%) expected excellent results from the surgery whilst 1 (2.8%) expected poor results. Most believed the surgery would indeed make a great difference in speech 14 (38.9%) and appearance 11 (30.6%). Majority, 30 (83%) were happy with the immediate outcome of the surgery and with their hospital experience 13, (36.1%).

Conclusions: This study revealed that most parents/caregivers of children with CLP believed this condition to be due to various factors and did not know the etiology. Expectations of the result of surgical repair of CLP surgery were high and their reactions were majorly positive.