MOTHERS' EXPERIENCES WHEN THEIR INFANTS WERE DIAGNOSED WITH CLEFT LIPS ANDIOR PALATES

Abstract

Traditionally the diagnosis of cleft lip and palate was made at birth or soon thereafter, but modem technology has led to the identification of cleft lip prenatally The aim of this study was to describe 16 mothers' experiences of pre- and postnatal diagnosis of their infants' cleft lip and palate, and to develop clinical guidelines for craniofacial team members, to meet parental expectations and needs in both pre- and postnatal periods. In order to provide the best possible care to each affected child and the most effective support to each mother, it is of the utmost importance that craniofacial teams have guidelines to assist them in developing a more accountable, effective and sensitive service to these mothers. An exploratory, descriptive quantitative survey research design was selected to describe mothers' reactions to and perceptions of the pre- and postnatal diagnosis. Scheduled structured interviews were used as a data collecting technique. The results indicated that, irrespective of the time of diagnosis, the mothers required support that included emotional support, information, interaction with other parents of children with clefts, and a team approach. This study emphasised the importance of understanding parental preferences in order to enhance the team approach and also highlighted the need for further research.