Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common craniofacial anomalies of humans. A child born with cleft lip and palate may experience difficulties while feeding due to lack of seal of the oral cavity due to incomplete facial and palatal structures. Difficulty in feeding leads to inadequate nutrition and affects the health of the infant. Feeding difficulties should be assessed and intervened as early as possible, as they are an important aspect of the multidisciplinary team approach in the management of cleft lip and palate. Feeding appliance is a favorable feeding option in these infants as it creates a separation between oral and nasal cavities and thus helps in creating a negative intraoral pressure during suckling. This case report represents a fabrication of feeding appliance for a 2-day-old neonate born with cleft lip and palate, using copper wire as a retainer for the appliance.
Keywords: Cleft lip; cleft palate; feeding appliance; multidisciplinary approach.