Jack and Cam arrived in the world by caesarean section last April, after a complicated pregnancy after IVF. But little Cam was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate, a malformation that had not been diagnosed by doctors during ultrasound scans of his mother throughout pregnancy.
Today, Cam has six months months and has already gone through the operating room for a first reconstruction. His father, Matt Martin (Texas, United States) has wanted to share his story on social networks to raise awareness about this malformation, which in the United States affects every year one of every 600 newborn babies, as well as to encourage other families who are going through the same.
The fight story of little Cam Dawson
The story of this baby we met through the web Love what Matters, where his father, Matt Martin, published his story to spread this type of congenital malformations.
As he explains, "When he saw his son Cam for the first time he was shocked". Ultrasound performed throughout pregnancy did not diagnose that one of his twins came with cleft palate and cleft lip, so when he saw his newborn he did not understand what was happening to him.
"In those first moments nobody said anything to me. The nurse put it on my arms and my son cried and cried. I just wanted to help him, but I had never seen anything similar. Never in my life had I felt so helpless. doctors, they took it from my arms and took it away "
"My wife asked me if our son was well, but I could not say a word and just shook my head"
See this post on InstagramA shared publication of ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Matt Martin (@thebeardedfilmmaker) on Apr 5, 2018 at 4:52 PDT
The first days after the arrival of their twins were full of mixed emotions, fear, doubts and much uncertainty. Matt and his wife did not know what their baby's future would be, and they began to prepare themselves mentally for the surgeries that their son should address, in the short, medium and long term.
In Babies and more An anonymous person pays the operation of a baby's fissure after seeing that they made fun of him in the netsThe first reached four months of age, when a surgeon repaired his soft palate and upper lip. The second will take place at 18 months, and will consist of a reconstruction of the hard palate and nose. And between the ages of four and six you will have a bone graft to turn your gums into a solid piece.
See this post on InstagramA shared post from ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Matt Martin (@thebeardedfilmmaker) on Jun 1, 2018 at 12:14 PDT
He path that awaits little Cam is long, but he has the unconditional love of his parents, who are also focusing on spreading their case on social networks to raise awareness about this type of malformation. Today, Cam is a tremendously happy six-month-old baby, and with a smile that falls in love.
See this post on InstagramA shared post from ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Matt Martin (@thebeardedfilmmaker) on Aug 13, 2018 at 10:31 PDT
What are cleft palate and upper lip?
The cleft palate and cleft lip (also called, cleft upper lip) are congenital defects that occur when upper lip and palate do not develop properly in the first months of pregnancy.
The lip fissure is a cleft in the lip that can be small or can reach the base of the nose, separating the lip into two parts. This malformation occurs between weeks four and seven of pregnancy
On the other hand, the malformation of the palate occurs between weeks six and nine of pregnancy, when the tissue that forms the palate does not completely join during pregnancy. And instead, a fissure appears that can be on the right and / or left side, and covers from a small part to the entire palate.
The exact causes of these malformations are not known exactly. It is known that there is a genetic component, but it can also happen due to a disease during pregnancy, diabetes before pregnancy, congenital syndromes or abnormalities, or drug use, certain medications, tobacco or alcohol.
As usual these problems are usually diagnosed during pregnancy by a routine ultrasound, although there may also be cases, such as Cam, that are diagnosed at birth. In the face of fear and ignorance caused by this malformation, some parents decide to end the pregnancy when they learn that their baby will be born with a cleft palatal and labial. Not surprisingly, in countries like the United Kingdom, abortions have tripled in the last five years when this condition was detected.
In Babies and more Controversy in the United Kingdom after tripling abortions due to having a baby's cleft lipThe prognosis, in general, is good: Most babies will be fine, with no difference to the rest that the scar that may be left after an intervention that is usually performed between six weeks of life and nine months. If there is also a palatal fissure, as is the case with little Cam, another intervention may be necessary later, because during the first year it closes on its own.
Surgical repair can improve the appearance of the child's face and also his breathing, hearing and speech and language development. In some cases orthodontics may also be necessary.To prevent 100% this condition is not possible, since several factors can intervene. But we can help avoid it by leading healthy living habits during pregnancy, taking care of our diet and taking folic acid at the time the pregnancy is planned, as it helps prevent birth defects.
Photographs and history | reprinted with permission
