The Cleft and Craniofacial Center provides specialized, comprehensive care for children with facial differences like cleft lip or cleft palate, children with syndromes of the face and head, and children who have experienced trauma injuries. The Cleft and Craniofacial Center is affiliated with St. Cloud Hospital and CentraCare Health System.

Our Program
We believe every child is unique and has needs unlike any other. As parents, you are the most important person in your child's life and know his or her needs best. Therefore, we hope you will be actively involved in helping us plan your child’s care.

Whether your child has needs related to a cleft lip/palate or a different type of craniofacial anomaly, we can provide you with reputable, coordinated care close to home. Together, you and our multi-disciplinary team will provide the individual pieces in the total picture of your child’s health.

No one specialist can provide the range of care your child needs. But your child's treatment can be met through a team of medical, surgical, nursing, dental, speech and hearing professionals. Our team approach results in the timely involvement of all essential disciplines. A clinical nurse specialist is available to coordinate your child’s care through the system.

Our multi-disciplinary care team consists of the following members:

• clinical nurse specialist/coordinator
• craniofacial surgeon
• ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist)
• geneticist
• neonatologist
• neurosurgeon
• nurses
• nutritional specialist
• oral surgeon
• orthodontist
• pediatric dentist
• physical therapist
• plastic surgeon
• pediatrician
• primary care physician
• psychologist
• speech therapist
• social worker

Services
As one of the premier cleft and craniofacial centers in the Midwest, we pride ourselves on our differentiating features, including:

• convenient, family-oriented program
• supportive and educational environment
• comprehensive, long-term emotional and physical care
• coordinated, one-on-one multi-disciplinary approach
• compassionate, holistic care
• confidential diagnosis and treatment, based on the most current research.

The care provided to children and families include the following services:

Cleft Lip and Palate
Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects. Approximately 1 in 700 newborns have a cleft lip, cleft palate or both. At the Cleft and Craniofacial Center, we offer a comprehensive approach, which starts before or at the time of the baby’s birth. Specialists are available to discuss a child’s need on an individual basis. The repair of the cleft lip usually occurs at three months of age. The child may have a cleft lip on one side of the mouth, called a unilateral cleft lip. If the cleft lip is on both sides of the mouth, it is called a bilateral cleft lip.

A child with a cleft palate can also have the palate on one side, which is called a unilateral cleft palate or on both sides, which is called a bilateral cleft palate. The repair of a cleft palate usually occurs at 12 to 18 months. The child will receive an evaluation for the needs of surgeons, physicians or speech, dental, hearing and feeding specialists.

Hemangiomas and Vascular Malformations
Hemangiomas are the most common tumor of infancy. Usually not present at birth, they appear during the first months of a child's life as a "strawberry" rising from the skin. Although hemangiomas will usually disappear, your multi-disciplinary team should make an evaluation. Sometimes medical or surgical intervention is needed for complications such as bleeding, disfigurement, or interference with vision and breathing.

Craniosynostosis
Craniosynostosis is a medical term for the premature closure of the seams where the bones of the skull come together. It can be seen as uneven or restricted growth of the skull. Surgical intervention can begin as early as two to three months of age. The operation is designed to open the sutures in the skull that have prematurely closed.

Plagiocephaly
Misshapen heads are deformities that may be caused from an infant lying on his or her back for a prolonged period of time or from the position the baby was lying in the uterus. Early evaluation is important both to treat the condition and to prevent its progression. The Cleft & Craniofacial Center offers non-invasive home helmet or headband therapy under the direction of the pediatric craniofacial surgeon.

Torticollis
This condition describes an abnormal neck posture in which the neck muscles become shortened. The tightening of the muscles causes the head to tilt to the affected side with the chin pointing to the other side. The condition may be congenital or acquired.

Various interventions are useful to prevent and improve torticollis. The pediatric physical therapist will evaluate your child and set up a program based on his or her individual needs. If the torticollis involves a misshapen head, a referral may be made to the craniofacial surgeon to assess whether your child needs a helmet.

Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
This condition may be caused by improper closure of the palate. It may be identified by nasal emission of air during speech or by regurgitation of food. Your multidisciplinary team will assist with needs of diagnosis, such as surgery, speech or other interventions.

Trauma Injuries
Trauma injuries may occur to the face, skull or neck. We provide appropriate treatment to your child both immediately and on an ongoing basis.

The multi-disciplinary team works together to provide specialized care for your family. Because of the various needs of your child, the team provides the knowledge necessary, using the most up-to-date techniques for the best possible care.

Craniofacial Syndromes
These syndromes include Aperts, Crouzons, Pfieffer, Treacher-collins and others. They are all marked by skull and mid-faced deformities (including hypertelorbitism and flat nasal bridge), fusion or webbing of the digits, and other abnormalities which may be life-limiting or life-threatening. The multi-disciplinary team is essential for specialized evaluation of your child. Genetic testing, counseling or a comprehensive evaluation by our pediatric geneticist can be arranged.

Referral Process
The Cleft and Craniofacial Center accepts referrals for evaluation, consultation and treatment of any child from prior to birth to 21 years old. Please contact our clinical nurse specialist/coordinator and leave a message. She will assist you with your questions and needs.