Pediatric plastic surgery focuses on the reconstructive and aesthetic improvement of children’s appearance. Pediatric craniofacial surgery treats congenital and acquired deformities of your child’s head, skull, face, and jaws. Children’s anatomy and functionality are different from adults. So your kid needs to get treatment from a specialized pediatric plastic or craniofacial surgeon when having congenital or acquired abnormalities. Portland, OR pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery can treat congenital disorders or issues resulting from illnesses and traumatic events to help restore function and improve your child’s quality of life. Here are common conditions treated by pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery.
Cleft lip and palate
Cleft lip and palate are congenital disorders that occur while a fetus develops in the womb. A cleft lip occurs when the tissue that forms the lips does not join fully, resulting in an opening between the upper lip’s two sides. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth that occurs during fetal development. Your pediatric surgeon performs surgery to repair your child’s cleft lip or cleft palate to help improve the appearance of the lip and nose. The surgery also improves your kid’s speech, eating, and self-esteem.
Plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly is when your baby’s head develops a flat spot on the back or side. It makes your baby’s head appear asymmetrical. Plagiocephaly can happen during fetal development or result from putting your baby to sleep in the same position for many days. If your baby’s Plagiocephaly results from congenital disabilities, your pediatric surgeon can perform surgery to relieve pressure in the skull and allow the baby’s brain to develop normally.
Hand and extremity disorders
Your child can be born with hand differences like fused fingers, extra digits, or missing thumbs. Your plastic surgeon can perform surgery to construct your child’s hand for proper functioning. The specialist has specialized training to connect delicate tiny vessels and nerves in your kid’s hands and extremities, reconstructing them to the right form and functioning. Pediatric plastic surgeons also restore function and repair injured hands in kids, including cut nerves.
Facial paralysis
Facial paralysis in children can be congenital or result from trauma, head injury, tumors, or craniofacial abnormalities. Symptoms of facial paralysis include an asymmetrical smile, drooping on one side of your child’s, and speech problems. Your pediatric surgeon can perform muscle transfer by relocating tendons or muscles from one region to areas of your kid’s face where they can restore natural movement.
Cleft rhinoplasty
If your baby is born with a cleft lip and palate, the condition can affect your child’s nose. Cleft rhinoplasty helps improve your child’s nose. The abnormal shape of your kid’s nose can also result from scarring during surgeries for cleft lip and palate. Your surgeon can recommend cleft rhinoplasty during the cleft lip repair in childhood or when your kid’s skeletal growth has been completed in the teenage years.
Pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery can help repair and reconstruct your child’s congenital and acquired abnormalities to improve function and appearance. Schedule an appointment at PNW Plastic Surgery for pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery to improve your child’s quality of life.
