PRESCRIPTION PARENTS, INC.
Parents helping Parents of children with cleft lip & palate
Prescription Parents, P.O. Box 920554, Needham, MA 02492. 617-499-1936
Other Internet Resources Related to Cleft Lip/Cleft
Palate
Q. What is Prescription Parents?
A. Prescription Parents is a local Boston organization run by volunteers.
We run support groups to help parents in Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Prescription Parents attempts
to meet the needs of parents of children who were born with clef lip and
cleft palate by helping each other and by offering resource material on
specific areas of concern.
Q. Who can be a member?
A. All parents of children born with these or related conditions, or
anyone interested in cleft lip and palate is welcome. There is a suggested
membership fee to defray printing, postage, etc.
Q. Does Prescription Parents endorse specific treatment centers of
plans?
A. Prescription Parents does not endorse any hospital or medial treatment,
but only encourages parents to seek competent medical care from specialists
with whom they feel comfortable. Professionals from all the major treatment
areas serve on our Medical Advisory Board.
Q. Is Prescription Parents affiliated with a national group?
A. Prescription Parents is a member of the National Cleft Palate Association.
Prescription Parents is one of the oldest continuously operating groups
and also one of the largest groups in the United States.
Q. Why the name 'Prescription Parents'?
A. We want to be "good medicine" for our children. Our children, like
all children, have many needs and require support and guidance. We believe
our children's special needs are best served when parents and professionals
work in a cooperative partnership.
Treatment of Cleft Lip & Palate
The medical treatment for a child with cleft lip and/or palate usually
involves several medical specialists and auxiliary services. Fortunately,
with professional care children born with cleft lip and palate are successfully
habilitated. The center, hospital, or clinic where your child is treated
will refer you to various specialists as needed. Prescription Parents has
supplementary literature available; if you wish to receive some informational
material, indicate so on the membership form (below) or call 617-499-1936
Briefly, the following specialties may be involved in the correction
of your child's cleft. Since each cleft is unique and presents a different
set of conditions, your child's doctor or team is best able to chart the
course for you.
Prescription Parents urges you to ask questions if you are unclear about
any area of your child's treatment. The specialists understand that this
information probably is new to you and welcome your interest. Also, your
understanding of and confidence in the treatment reassures family and friends
and makes them comfortable with the baby and his condition. Later, your
knowledge and assurance is beneficial to the child.
1 SURGERY
Your baby should be evaluated by a plastic surgeon soon after discharge
from the maternity hospital. The surgeon will be able to give you general
guidelines as to the kind of surgery required and the timing. Usually
the lip and palate are repaired in several operations and occur anywhere
from six weeks of age (for the lip) to eighteen months (for the palate)
depending upon the individual infant.
2 OTOLARYNGOLOGY
From infancy your baby born with a cleft palate should be followed by a
specialist in ear, nose and throat care. Often children with clefts of
the palate are susceptible to a problem with fluid in the middle ear space
which is easily correctable, but which must be monitored to assure normal
hearing, as well as to encourage normal speech and language development.
3 DENTISTRY
Of course, oral hygiene is as important for the child born with cleft palate
as for any other; the older child is followed carefully as the tooth and
gum structure often requires the specialties of prosthodontia and orthodontia
to improve speech and chewing abilities.
4 SPEECH AND HEARING
Initially the parent receives counseling about possible problems and corrective
exercises for the young child. Later, a therapy program, if needed, may
be determined for the child. With the advent, in 1974, of the Special Education
Law, Chapter 766, many of these services are provided through the local
school system from age three; Prescription Parents recommends that all
services provided through the school be carefully coordinated with the
medical treatment center.
5 GENETIC COUNSELING
The parents, and eventually your older child, usually have many questions
about the causes, occurrence, etc. of clefts. A genetic counselor can best
answer these and help families evaluate their situations. You might check
with your child's doctor for a referral or Prescription Parents would be
happy to provide you with a list of those counselors known to us in the
Boston area.
ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES
-
Newborn Program
-
Public Education
-
Informational Meetings
-
Social Events for Families
-
Advocacy Positions
-
Printed Materials
MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD
Prescription Parents has been most fortunate and is grateful for the expertise
and advice of physicians and specialists who have agreed to serve on the
Medical Advisory Board. Their active participation at the meetings, in
public statements and appearances, and in other ways, as well as their
endorsements have been deeply appreciated.
Our Medical Advisory Board is comprised of specialists form the fields
of: Surgery, Otolaryngology, Dentistry, Speech Pathology and Audiology,
Pediatrics, Genetics, Psychiatry and Psychology.
Prescription Parents is a local Boston organization run by volunteers.
We run support groups to help parents in Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Prescription Parents attempts
to meet the needs of parents of children who were born with clef lip and
cleft palate by helping each other and by offering resource material on
specific areas of concern. If you would like to join, please save, print,
fill out, and mail the following form to: Prescription Parents, Inc., 45
Brentwood Circle, Needham, MA 02492. It is suggested that each member
family contribute $10 per year and each professional $25, to defray the
costs of printing, postage, etc. Checks may be made payable to Prescription
Parents, Inc. (Prescription Parents, Inc., is a registered, tax-exempt,
non-profit organization.)
MEMBERSHIP FORM
I wish to become a member of Prescription Parents and support the work
of the organization.
Name ___________________________________
Address _________________________________
________________________________________
Phone __________________________________
I am:
___ Parent _________ Child's date of birth
___ I would appreciate a call.
___ Professional
___ Interested Other
Other Internet Resources Related to Cleft Lip/Cleft
Palate
Return to B&R Samizdat Express
Sitemap with links to every page at our site www.samizdat.com/sitemap.html
| Internet Business Showcase: |
|
|
|
|