I Am An Invisible Mom: A Mother's Day Love Story For My Stillborn Son
I spent last Mother's Day lounging on a picnic blanket under the sunny skies of the Boston Harbor -- so sunny, in fact, that my husband and I sought out one of the only meager trees atop Spectacle Island for shade. It can often be cool in early May in Boston, but on this day, the heat bore down. At 16 weeks pregnant, the shape of my rounded belly under my striped sundress was only obvious to those in our inner circle who knew we were expecting. The word itself -- expecting -- pregnant with meaning. We were expecting so many things on that Sunday afternoon: Our first child to join our family in the fall. A little boy.
I ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - May 8, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Rwanda: Volunteers to Provide Free Cleft Lip Surgeries
[New Times]It is every expectant parents' desire to give birth to a healthy baby free from any disabilities and defects that could hinder their growth and development but sometimes it may not be the case. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - January 19, 2015 Category: African Health Source Type: news
Scientists identify mutation associated with cleft palate in humans and dogs
(American Society of Human Genetics) Scientists studying birth defects in humans and purebred dogs have identified an association between cleft lip and cleft palate -- conditions that occur when the lip and mouth fail to form properly during pregnancy -- and a mutation in the ADAMTS20 gene. Their findings were presented today at the American Society of Human Genetics 2014 Annual Meeting in San Diego. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - October 19, 2014 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
Online resource launched about personal experiences of cleft lip and palate
About one in 700 babies in the UK are born with a cleft lip, a cleft palate or a cleft lip and palate. A detailed online resource for families and individuals affected by this condition will be launched this weekend at CLAPA’s annual conference. (Source: University of Bristol news)
Source: University of Bristol news - October 17, 2014 Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: Research; Press Release Source Type: news
Counting fish teeth reveals regulatory DNA changes behind rapid evolution, adaptation
Threespine sticklebacks, small fish found around the globe, undergo rapid evolutionary change when they move from the ocean to freshwater lakes, losing their armor and gaining more teeth in as little as 10 years. A biologist shows that this rapid change results not from mutations in functional genes, but changes in regulatory DNA. He pinpoints a gene that could be responsible for teeth, bone or jaw deformities in humans, including cleft palate. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - September 17, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
A Parent’s View: The Importance of Children’s Hospitals
This story is written by Kerri Vatour and was originally published on the Children’s Hospital Association’s blog.
The first time Boston Children’s Hospital saved my son’s life, he was 21 hours old.
It wasn’t a surprise—Joey had been diagnosed in utero with both a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a hole between the right and left sides of his heart, and a duodenal stenosis, where a portion of the intestine is so constricted that very little can pass through, by doctors in the Advanced Fetal Care Center.
Upon birth, it was obvious that the latter issue would take precedence, and Dr. Smithers worked his ma...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - August 21, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Guest Blogger Tags: All posts Source Type: news
'Morning sickness' linked to healthier babies
Conclusion
This systematic review has found that nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is associated with favourable pregnancy outcomes.
All 10 observational studies included in the review reported a protective effect of NVP.
NVP was associated with a reduced risk of miscarriages, congenital malformations and prematurity, and better developmental outcomes.
Beneficial associations were seen, even if women took medication to control their symptoms.
The results of this study may help to reassure women with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that this may be a good sign – at least for some measures of a healthy, ongoing pregnancy...
Source: NHS News Feed - July 30, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Life after cleft lip surgery: Finding Brooks’ smile
When Rick and Aimee Bellew learned that their second child Brooks would be born with a cleft lip and soft palate, they weren’t sure what to expect. So like most people looking for information, they took their questions to the Internet—which turned out to be a mistake.
“Just minutes into our first cleft lip search on Google and we were already devastated,” Aimee remembers. “The pictures staring back at us from the computer screen were so severe. We thought ‘there’s no way a child with a condition this serious looking can be otherwise healthy.’ It was very overwhelming.”
In t...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - July 14, 2014 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tripp Underwood Tags: All posts Advanced Fetal Care Center cleft lip & palate Cleft lip and Palate Program John Mulliken our patients' stories Source Type: news
Dental school's diversity pipeline a success
When Raquel Ulma moved to Los Angeles with her husband, Greg, in 2002, he knew that it was time for her to start making her lifelong dream of becoming a dentist a reality, even though she had no idea how.
So Greg encouraged her to attend the annual California Dental Association session with a friend. “I actually crashed the dentistry event,” confessed Ulma, who goes by “Rocky.” “I approached the Hispanic Dental Association booth and struck up a conversation with a female dentist who was approachable and welcoming.”
Soon Ulma was telling Dr. Lilia Larin about her goal of becoming a dentist. The two exchanged con...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - July 3, 2014 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
Zimbabwe: 50 Kids for Free Cleft Lip Ops
[The Herald]At least 50 children with cleft lip or palate conditions are set to benefit from free corrective surgeries underway at Harare Children's Hospital. Led by a group of surgeons from the United States and the University of Zimbabwe, the corrective surgeries started on Monday and are expected to end on Friday. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - June 25, 2014 Category: African Health Source Type: news
The Elephant Man - and his mission to end the desperate plight of Africa's disfigured children: John Hurt tells how surviving child abuse and alcoholism led him to his most vital role
John Hurt, 74, is the patron of Project Harar which provide cleft palate and other facial surgery to disabled or injured children in Ethiopia. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - June 14, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
A better day for cleft-palate patients
Patient Tom Rowley reflects on how cleft-palate services have improved since his childhood (Source: Telegraph Health)
Source: Telegraph Health - June 9, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cleft palate cleft lip Jonathan Sandy Source Type: news
Don't pick this surgeon
I'm fully trained in cosmetic surgery, hand surgery, burn surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, reconstructive surgery, and microsurgery. But if your child has a cleft lip or your finger has been cut off, you probably don't want me as your doctor. (Source: CNN.com - Health)
Source: CNN.com - Health - June 5, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Insights into genetics of cleft lip
A specific stretch of DNA controls far-off genes to influence the formation of the face, researchers have found. The new study, outlining how this is done, helps understand the genetic causes of cleft lip and cleft palate, which are among the most common congenital malformations in humans. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - May 26, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
Gene behind highly prevalent facial anomaly found
A genetic cause of a facial disorder known as hemifacial microsomia (HFM) has been discovered by scientists. The researchers find that duplication of the gene OTX2 induces HFM, the second-most common facial anomaly after cleft lip and palate. HFM affects approximately one in 3,500 births. While some cases appear to run in families, no gene had been found to be causative -- until now. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - May 9, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
