One month old!

He is one month old today! He is 6 lbs 14 oz.
Today was his consultation with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Menezes, who is fixing his lip and palate. He will be having surgery to close his lip in one month, followed by another one in two months. He will have his palate repaired when he is 8 months old, and again before he starts kindergarten. About the same time as the first palate repair he will have tubes put in his ears, since most cleft babies have trouble with fluid buildup until their palate is fully closed and developed properly. We are being referred to a pediatric Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist for hearing tests and the tubal procedure. At 8 years old, he will have a bone graft done, and then another surgery when he is a teenager. We are already working with a speech therapist, who is helping with feeding properly for now. Actual speech therapy will begin when he is about a year old. He will also have the pleasure of orthodontic care from an early age, as the cleft affects gum development and teeth positioning. It will be a very busy year for him as the craniofacial team begins treatment. Hurray for modern medicine!!