Baby abandoned due to cleft lip and mouth disease
On June 12, Hanoi Central Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital launched the Month of Action for People with Emptiness and Mouth Arms in 2025. In the initial launch, more than 50 children were examined, tested and given pre-operative care.
Master, Doctor Hoang Thanh Huong, Department of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery, said: Mouth opening and roof defect is one of the most common birth defects in the face and mouth, accounting for about 10% of birth defects.
In Vietnam, 1 in 500 children born have this defect, equivalent to about 3,000 cases per year. However, not every family has enough financial means to treat their children.
Dyslipidemia of the cleft lip and mouth occurs when the lip, mouth or nose parts are not in harmony during fetal development.
The cause may come from the mother's use of improperly prescribed drugs in the first three months of pregnancy, exposure to X-rays, viral infections, flu, or experiencing stress and malnutrition. Genetic factors or parents giving birth as they age also increase the risk.
Unfortunately, in some areas, people still believe that this defect is related to spirituality, leading to inhumane actions such as abandoning children.
Doctor Huong shared that there are many heartbreaking stories about children born with cleft lip and mouth disease, which has haunted doctors. For example, in Dien Bien a few years ago, a newborn baby with a cleft lip and open mouth was abandoned by his parents in the garden right after giving birth out of fear. After a day and night, the baby was found by the people, luckily he was still alive but the family refused to raise him.
The child was then taken to a pagoda and received free support and surgery from doctors at the Central Dentistry Hospital and the SmileTrain organization. After successful surgery and comprehensive care, the baby was taken back to the pagoda for raising.
" lip and mouth disease is not afraid. Nowadays, children with birth defects are monitored, cared for, treated, and operated on early with a high success rate, and they can have a beautiful smile, completely normal like their peers" - Dr. Huong said.
The mission of the leading dental and maxillofacial hospital
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Cao Binh, Director of the Central Dental and Maxillofacial Hospital: Treating and caring for children with cleft lip and mouth disease is the hospital's mission. Not only this month, the Hospital is always open to welcoming cases of cleft lip and mouth disease to come for examination and screening at any time of the year.
Children who are not healthy enough to have immediate surgery, such as underweight, premature birth or poor health, will be advised by doctors on how to care for them to improve their physical strength, and will have a surgical schedule as soon as possible.
To treat this defect, Associate Professor Binh said that children need a long roadmap, sometimes lasting until the age of 18, including cleft surgery, pre- and post-operative care, practice speaking, and tooth decoration to help children develop normally. Previously, treatment only focused on surgery, but now, doctors focus on comprehensive care to ensure children have the best quality of life.
The Central Dentistry Hospital will receive the dossier, organize examinations and screening for pediatric patients. Children will be exempted from all costs for cleft lip surgery, post-operative care and partial support for food and beverage during treatment.
After that, children are also given voice- editing auditions, throat surgery, and tooth adjustment so that they can confidently integrate with their peers.
