A STORY OF – Nico
Nico’s journey with cleft lip and palate began before he was even born. Veronica and her husband, Alejandro, were informed at her 16-week ultrasound that their son would be born with a congenital defect on his face and lip. Though they would have to wait for the delivery to know the extent of the condition, the family already had a team in place at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta planning for his treatment.
Cleft lip and palate is a complicated condition, and more than just a cosmetic issue—it can cause life-threatening difficulties with feeding and nursing in the first months of life. It also affects the entire ear, nose and throat system, causing potential problems with draining and infections.
Nico’s care team at Children’s worked closely with his parents and informed them of everything to expect upon his arrival, which included a complex series of specialized treatments and procedures.
As soon as Nico was born, he was outfitted with a special bottle so he could safely and healthily get nourishment. At just 2 months, he underwent his first of several surgeries at the Craniofacial Clinic to begin repairing his lip and palate. Afterward, he had an appliance implanted into his palate that would help close it up.
Nico is now 2 years old, and though his medical journey has been arduous, Children’s has been with his family every step of the way. Apart from treating the physical aspect of the cleft lip and palate, Nico has also had extensive treatment with dentists, ear nose and throat specialists as well as speech-language pathologists to help with his adjustment. Despite all he’s been through, he is a very sweet toddler, and these days always has a huge smile on his face—something his family is incredibly grateful for every single day.