Psychosocial and socioeconomically aspects of mothers having a child with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) : a pilot-study during the first year of life

Background The emotional impact on parents at the birth of their new-born with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) can be traumatic for parents, especially mothers, and affect the sensitive early parent-child relationship. Unlike many other congenital malformations facial deformities are visible to all. The uncommon facial appearance creates feelings and reactions in the mother, families and other people. Only few studies deal with this psychosocial burden of these mothers. Material and methods This pilot-study deals with mothers' early experiences (n=84) having a child with CL/P. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire at diagnosis, birth and after lip surgery. The questions were focused…