Craniofacial & cleft palate clinic

Our multidisciplinary clinic currently meets the fourth Thursday of each month from 1-6 p.m., with additional clinics on an as-needed basis. We aim to provide comprehensive care that eliminates the need for multiple appointments with individual providers. We will develop individualized care plans for your child and coordinate procedures to decrease hospital visits.

Call 847-723-7308 to schedule an appointment for the Cleft & Craniofacial Clinic.

What to expect at the cleft palate clinic

Once you arrive at the clinic, you will be placed in an exam room and the doctors will come to you. Sometimes you will see each provider individually. Other times, multiple doctors will come in together.

Specialists you may see at your first visit:

• Pediatric plastic & craniofacial surgeon to discuss any surgical procedures that may be required
• ENT surgeon to evaluate ears for fluid and evaluate any airway issues
• Geneticist to review your child's current diagnosis and family history and to discuss whether any additional tests may be required
• Speech language pathologist to assess feeding and language skills
• Audiologist to perform a hearing test if necessary
• Developmental pediatrician to assure all milestones are being met and develop treatment plans for any delays

After you have been seen by all of the staff members, the nurse coordinator will come in and go over the team recommendations and help coordinate future appointments. Clinic summaries will be sent out to your child’s pediatrician so they are aware of the plan of care.

Learn how to prepare for your first visit.

Prenatal visits

If you have been referred to our craniofacial and cleft palate clinic prior to the birth of your infant with cleft lip and/or palate, welcome! Our goal is to provide information to you well in advance so that your questions are answered and you can be as prepared as possible. We will plan for you to meet with our surgeons as well as the speech language pathologist at this visit. The focus will be:

• Discussion of feeding in the neonatal period, including special bottles that may be needed if the baby has a cleft palate
• Discussion of appliances that may be used in the first few months to help mold the lip, gums, and nose
• Discussion of the timing of lip and palate surgery
• Review of insurance coverage
• Answering your questions

Location & times

Advocate Children’s Hospital Outpatient Center
1675 Dempster St, 3rd Floor
Park Ridge, IL 60068
2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month, 1-6 p.m.

Schedule an appointment

Call our nurse coordinator, Christine Provenzano, at 847-723-7308 to make an appointment for the Cleft & Craniofacial Clinic.

Please note: This number for the Cleft & Craniofacial Clinic is different from our main appointment number.