How does a multidisciplinary team contribute to the care of a child with cleft lip/palate?

• A. Involves Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Audiology, Speech Therapy, Orthodontics, Genetics, Nursing, Nutrition, and Psychosocial support coordinating care.
• B. Involves only Plastic Surgery.
• C. Involves no coordination.
• D. Involves only dentists.

Answer: (B)

A child with cleft lip/palate benefits from coordinated care across multiple disciplines because the condition affects feeding, hearing, speech, dental development, facial growth, and psychosocial well-being. A team approach brings together plastic surgery to repair the lip/palate, otolaryngology for airway and sinus health, audiology for hearing assessment, speech therapy to support articulation and language, orthodontics for dental alignment and bite development, genetics for associated syndromes or family planning, nursing for care coordination and family education, nutrition for feeding strategies, and psychosocial support to help the child and family cope. This collaboration ensures that surgical timing, therapies, and support services are aligned, leading to better overall function and outcomes.

Choosing care that involves only one specialty or no coordination would miss essential areas like hearing, speech, feeding, and psychosocial aspects, resulting in fragmented care and poorer outcomes.