Quality of life of patients with cleft lip and / or cleft palate: perspective of parents/guardians

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the quality of life of children with oral cleft.Material and Methods:The ECOHIS questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of 31 patients aged 02-05 years from the perception of their parents. Study's variables were divided into impact on children subscale, through the domain of symptoms, limitations, psychological and self-image; and impact on the family subscale, through the domain anguish of parents and family function. Descriptive analysis tests were used in Statistical Software Program -SPSS® version 18.0.Results:71% of sample subjects were male.There was prevalence of cleft lip -palate (38.7%), followed by cleft lip (32.3%) and cleft palate (29%). Cleft transforamen incisive (38.7%) was predominantand the most frequent location was unilateral left (58.3%) and the complete type was the most significant (75%). All participants mentioned some impact of the problem on the child's quality of life. In the impact on children subscale, limitations domain had the highest average (mean 5.16; SD2.87) and in the impact on family subscale, family function domain was the most significant (mean 2.29; SD 1.82). As for difficulties faced by children, question on "difficulty in pronouncing words" was the most significant (61.3%). Conclusion:The presence of clefts impacts the quality of life of children and their families, thus requiring strategies for the reestablishment of aesthetics, function and psychological support for such individuals...