Cleft Palate Surgery Treatment in India

Karan Bhatia is a 6-month-old baby...

Karan Bhatia is a 6-month-old baby from a small town in Punjab. He is the first child of young, doting parents. Since birth, Karan had difficulty feeding; he would choke, milk would come out of his nose, and he struggled to gain weight. His parents noticed a gap in the roof of his mouth. Their local pediatrician diagnosed a complete cleft palate and referred them to a pediatric surgeon in a nearby city. The surgeon, Dr. Sharma, recommended cleft palate repair surgery between 9-12 months of age to allow for proper speech development and to separate the nasal and oral cavities. The surgery lasted about 2 hours. Karan's parents were anxious but hopeful. The initial recovery in the hospital was tough; Karan was on intravenous fluids and soft feeds, and he was fussy. His parents learned to feed him with a special syringe and cup. After two weeks, the swelling subsided, and he began feeding more comfortably. His weight gain improved significantly. Emotionally, his parents moved from initial shock and worry to immense relief. Seeing their son feed without distress for the first time brought them to tears. They now feel optimistic about his future, especially his ability to speak clearly.