Interdisciplinary Team Care for Children with Facial Differences

Children who have cleft and craniofacial diagnoses require coordinated, interdisciplinary treatment planning from birth to young adulthood. Teams that adhere to the Parameters of Care and maintain annual review by the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Commission on Approval of Teams are published at www.acpa-cpf.org to assist families in obtaining that care. The six critical components to this interdisciplinary care focus on the team's composition, the team's management and responsibilities, the inclusion of patient and family/caregiver communication, an ongoing commitment to cultural competence, the importance of psychosocial and social services provided for the child and family, and the dedication to outcomes assessment. Primary care physicians are in a unique position to help direct families to this online directory for the best possible outcomes. [.