A Retrospective Study Identifying Breast Milk Feeding Disparities in Infants with Cleft Palate

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Craniofacial Anomalies
• Infant Growth

Background:

• Breast milk is optimal for infant nutrition, including those with cleft palate.
• Infants with cleft palate may experience compromised growth.
• Optimal nutrition is crucial for infants with complex medical needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of breast milk feeding in infants with cleft palate.
• To compare breast milk feeding rates with national statistics.
• To review the growth status of infants with cleft palate.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of electronic medical records over 5 years.
• Inclusion of infants ≤12 months old with cleft palate diagnosis.
• Analysis of breast milk use and anthropometric data (weight-for-age, weight-for-length z scores).

Main Results:

• Breast milk consumption was 29.5%, significantly lower than national rates (81%).
• Only 26 infants were breastfed directly; 84 received human milk via devices.
• Weight-for-age and weight-for-length z scores were below normative standards (-0.95 and -0.42, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Infants with cleft palate are infrequently breastfed, and breast milk use is low.
• Growth indicators for infants with cleft palate suggest they fall below established standards.
• Interventions may be needed to promote breast milk feeding in this vulnerable population.