Parents' Emotional and Social Experiences of Caring a Child with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

Objective: To evaluate the emotional and social experiences of parents or caregivers of children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in a city in the Northeastern of Brazil. Material and Methods: A quantitative and cross-sectional study was conducted among parents or caregivers of children with CL/P by interviews based on a questionnaire. Interviews were conducted during the First Smile Project in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. All participants (n=41) agreed to participate in the interview and signed an informed consent. The data was analyzed in SPSS software version 22.0. Results: The majority of participants were female (87.2%), with a mean age of 37 years, with a low level of education and low family income. The great majority (90.2%) of the parents were not prenatally diagnosed to have CL/P babies. Of those interviewed, 56.1% mentioned that the first diagnosis of cleft lip and palate was not presented by the professionals in a clarifying way to the family. Fear (36.6%) and sadness (19.5%) were the main feelings experienced when the child was diagnosed with fissure. Feeding (48.8%) was pointed out as the main concern in caring for a child with CL/P. Conclusion: The parents and caregivers interviewed faced important emotional and social problems that must be addressed by the professional team that assists the child with CL/P