The Latham Video is here! The Cleft Team at Boston Children’s Hospital understands that preparation for the insertion of the pre-surgical Latham device in infants with complete cleft lip and palate is a very stressful period of time for parents. Not only is it the first experience for the baby and parents in the operating room, but the ensuing 5-8 weeks of adaptation to the appliance, feeding difficulties, and structural changes around the mouth and nose are very challenging.
The Cleft Team sought to ease parents through this time by providing explanation, demonstration and hands-on, always-available support. The Team worked with talented videographers to create a resource to enable parents to understand Latham device treatment in the repair of cleft lip and palate. Drs. Shusterman and Ross, along with Craniofacial Centre nurse Olivia Oppel, skillfully illustrated the protocol. Latham-type devices have been employed at BCH for nearly 30 years and finally our parents and expectant parents can access detailed information about the process any time or place they choose.
If you have already been through the early stages of your child’s cleft repair, this video will give you perspective on how far your child has come. If you are just beginning the process, the video will help you understand and prepare for procedures to come in the next few months. Finally, if you are expecting your child, these images will not only help you prepare, but also give you a glimpse of the amazing future transformation your baby will experience.
Join us for the premiere screening of the video at the scholarship awards on June 23, 2018 in Waltham, MA. And tell others about the video — other parents, families and professionals will be deeply gratified to see how far these children progress.
The Foundation is grateful for the generous support of our community and
family members who made this project possible.
After the video premiere, the Latham video will be shared on the Foundation for Faces of Children’s website and Youtube channel. Stay tuned!