Questionnaire Survey of Attitudes and Concerns of Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate and Their Parents

The self-perceived problems and concerns of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and their parents were investigated. Thirty-two patients ranging in age from 16 to 25 years (mean=19.9 years) and their parents were sent questionnaires by mail. Twenty-eight patients and 30 parents completed the questionnaires. The results suggest that the patients were satisfied with the treatment they had received. They believed that the efforts of the members of the cleft palate team had been successful, and they were generally satisfied with their overall facial appearance and speech. There were, however, specific aspects with which they were less satisfied; their nose, lip, profile, speech, and teeth. They did not feel significantly socially or emotionally handicapped, although they noted that they had been teased and that they found relations with the opposite sex difficult. Their parents were also generally satisfied with all aspects of treatment and their child's appearance and speech. They identified those areas that their child was most concerned with, but did not fully appreciate how satisfied their child was with his or her facial features. The parents felt that their children were socially and emotionally affected by their cleft and felt their school results had also been affected.