If your child has a condition that affects their head or face, they need special care. That care should come from a highly experienced team. The Cleft and Craniofacial Center at WVU Medicine Children’s is committed to bringing compassionate, state-of-the-art care to infants and children who are born with, or develop, craniofacial conditions.
We’re one of the only cleft and craniofacial teams in the state that is approved by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA). This means our team has the highest level of training in craniofacial surgery. It also recognizes our commitment to providing the best quality care for your little one.
Cleft and craniofacial abnormalities are complex conditions. Skull and facial problems can affect everything from an infant airway to brain development. Our Cleft and Craniofacial Center address all of these health issues by bringing together several unique programs. This means families can come to one place for total care.
An Expert Team
We’ve brought together all the pediatric specialists your child may need if they have a cleft and/or craniofacial condition. These experts are on hand to deliver the right care, right away. Depending on your child’s condition, your care team may include:
- Complex care pediatricians
- Dentists
- Dermatologists
- General pediatricians
- Neurosurgeons
- Ophthalmologists
- Otolaryngologists
- Plastic and reconstructive surgeons
- Pulmonologists and sleep medicine specialists
Conditions We Treat
There are many different types of craniofacial conditions. Most conditions affect the shape or growth of the head or face. However, these issues can also lead to problems with your child’s eyes, mouth, teeth, jaw, nose, or airway. Cleft and craniofacial issues are usually congenital (present at birth), but they can also be the result of injuries.
Some of the most common conditions we treat include:
- Cleft lip and palate
- Craniosynostosis
- Fractures of the face or skull
- Hemangiomas
- Mandibular hypoplasia
- Pierre Robin syndrome
- Plagiocephaly
- Vascular malformations
Treatments and Services
Our Cleft and Craniofacial Center offers care for every stage of your child’s life. In many cases, we can diagnose skull or facial issues before birth. We work closely with the prenatal and perinatal teams to plan for a safe birth and create an effective treatment plan.
As part of WVU Medicine Children’s, we have access to everything and everyone we need to make your child’s treatment the best it can be. This includes a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a Level I Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, pediatric anesthesiologists, and a pediatric critical care unit.
As a family-centered program, we keep parents involved in every step of your child’s treatment. We’ll help you understand what to expect as your child recovers and how you can best manage their condition. We work closely with your pediatrician to ensure seamless follow-up care. Our mission is to help your little one grow and thrive throughout childhood.
Resources
It is our privilege to serve families and children throughout West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. We know you may need to travel to reach our clinic. We’ll do everything we can to make your journey easier, including combining appointments and exams into one visit whenever possible. Please let us know if you need help with transportation or lodging. For more information and resources about cleft and craniofacial conditions, visit any of the following sites:
American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA)
