Oksana Jackson, MD: Families can expect, when they come to see us, that we’re going to do our best to treat them over the span of their childhood and teenage years. We are going to perform their surgical repairs. But we’re also gonna monitor all aspects of their child’s health and development as they grow up.

Stephen Len (parent): It’s not just about your surgeon here at CHOP, treating your child. They have an entire team dedicated to cleft lip and palate.

Female: You’re going to be in chair two.

Scott Bartlett, MD: When a parent comes to CHOP with their child for a cleft clinic visit, they’re gonna find every specialist that they could possible need.

Oksana Jackson, MD: Say, “Ahh”

Child: Ahh.

Oksana Jackson, MD: That was perfect.

Oksana Jackson, MD: The kids benefit from seeing the same providers as they grow up because those providers get to know them well.

Oksana Jackson, MD: 60, 60.

Child: 60, 60.

Oksana Jackson, MD: Good, great.

Oksana Jackson, MD: Our team consist of surgeons, pediatricians, speech pathologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, and social workers.

Cynthia Solot, MA, CCC/SLP: Can you tell me what this is?

A speech pathologist is a very important person in the life of a child with a cleft palate. A speech pathologist’s role is to determine if a difficulty is present, what the nature of that difficulty is, to collaborate with the team so that we can develop treatments for that child.

Say “baby.”

Child: Baby.

Scott Bartlett, MD: Having the ability to do nasendoscopy, a technique where we can watch the palate work during speech — with a speech pathologist that’s specifically trained to look at cleft speech — is something that’s unique to this institution and the quality cleft programs.

Cynthia Solot, MA, CCC/SLP: Nasendoscopy is a diagnostic test where we insert a narrow tube, with a camera and a light, to observe the function of the palate during speech. Then the plastic surgeon and the speech pathologist will analyze the various characteristics of the palate function and determine what type of treatment might be indicated.

Kristen Lowe, DDS, MS: We want the child to have the ability to communicate and interact for the best quality of life possible.

Jesse Taylor, MD: The orthodontist and the dentist are here to check the health of the teeth and make sure the teeth are in the appropriate location.

Kristen Lowe, DDS, MS: What we do in the team is collaborate and we come up with the best overall plan. So we’re not just looking at the teeth. We’re not just looking at the surgical needs. But we come up with what’s gonna be the best plan for the patient as a whole.

Charlene Deuber, DNP, CRNP, CPNP: Nurse practitioners offer a unique addition by looking at the patient in a very holistic sort of sense.

Meg Ann Maguire, RN, MS, CRNP, CPNP: I can be a vital contact for that family to help explain the process, clarify the process, or help just provide that comfort.

Charlene Deuber, DNP, CRNP, CPNP: We are the first line responders, if you will, to patient concerns.

Meg Ann Maguire, RN, MS, CRNP, CPNP: I’m the constant that can communicate with the orthodontist, the surgeon, the speech pathologist, to help families better understand the recommendations our team may have.

Jesse Taylor, MD: The other thing I think we do particularly well is provide support to the new mothers as soon as their children are born.

Meg Ann Maguire, RN, MS, CRNP, CPNP: Keeping them upright is not only good to help with…

Jesse Taylor, MD: Helping families find a strategy to allow them to feed their babies with minimal frustration.

Meg Ann Maguire, RN, MS, CRNP, CPNP: It’s gonna work on aligning …

Scott Bartlett, MD: You don’t get them through that critical period with proper feeding, you can have many, many negative health consequences. So we’re fortunate to really have great nurses who are experts in cleft care and feeding of the infants.

Stephen Len (parent): Every time we have an issue, whether it’s hearing, feeding, speech, whatever it may be, there’s somebody waiting right there to answer that question.

Leanne Magee, PhD: So we talk with kids about feelings, and thoughts and school.

Oksana Jackson, MD: We also have psychologist that see many of our children. And can help them in many ways.

Veronica Baez (patient): Having a psychologist on the team was very helpful for me. Because going through this was very difficult and I didn’t know how to open up and talk about it. I just broke down in tears.

Leanne Magee, PhD: We’re dealing with additional stressors like major reconstructive surgeries, appearance differences, speech differences, things that really affect kids coping and functioning at home and in school.

Veronica Baez (patient): I just told her, like, what was going on. And she told me that, you know, “This is normal. You’re not the only one. You’re not alone.” She helped me so much.

Oksana Jackson, MD: This type of team care is very important for children with cleft lip and palate. And that’s because they have many needs.

Jesse Taylor, MD: We have team meetings where we get together and we discuss what are the next steps.

Leanne Magee, PhD: It’s a very collaborative group meeting. Everybody weighs in, everyone renders an opinion.

Female: As a result of all of us talking together and the input from all of the different specialist…

Scott Bartlett, MD: We formulate an overall assessment and then put a cohesive plan together, which we think is the best formula for success for that patient.

Jennifer Len (parent): This team, they’re just amazing people. They’re passionate about what they do. They care about you on such a personal level. They’re just so genuine in everything that they do.