AVALIAÇÃO DAS CONDIÇÕES PERINATAIS EM CRIANÇAS COM FISSURAS LABIOPALATINAS

Abstract

Cleft lip and palate are malformations that affect the face and oral cavity, resulting in openings in the lip, palate, or both. It impacts the ability to eat, communicate, and may make social integration of affected children harder. This study aims to evaluate perinatal conditions in these children, focusing on birth conditions and postnatal follow-up. It is a cross-sectional, observational, analytical, retrospective, quantitative study conducted between September 2022 and August 2023 at the Pediatric, Childcare, and Cleft Lip and Palate Service of the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital (HULW) linked to the Federal University of Paraíba. Data were collected through clinical interviews and questionnaires applied to caregivers of children with cleft lip and/or palate. Were included in the final results a total of 79 questionnaires. Among them, 18.2% of the children had Cleft Lip, 23.4% had Cleft Palate, and 58.4% had Cleft Lip and Palate. Of the births, 15.6% were premature. In 86.1% of cases, corrective surgeries had already been performed by the time the questionnaire was administered. Among children with Cleft Lip, 57% underwent cheiloplasty within the stipulated time, among those with Cleft Palate, 62.5% underwent palatoplasty within the ideal period, and among those with Cleft Lip and Palate, 52% underwent cheiloplasty and 58.6% underwent palatoplasty within the ideal time. No motor development delays were reported in 80.8% of cases, speech delays in 59.7%, nor school difficulties in 74.6% of cases. Inferential analysis were conducted to explore possible relations between specific factors evaluated in the study, however, no significant values were found to establish any relations. The study assessed perinatal conditions in children with cleft lip and palate, successfully defining the profile found at Lauro Wanderley University Hospital. The data emphasizes the need for specialized assistance at the beginning of life, as well as the need for investigation into the reported school difficulties.