All about me:
Thanks for visiting my homepage! My name is Sheldon and I am almost 6 years old. I was born with a bilateral cleft lip (my lip was separated on two sides; a unilateral cleft lip has just one opening) and a cleft of the soft palate (the muscle part in the back of your mouth - all the way to where your uvula is). Other than that I was a healthy baby! And handsome too, I might add! :-)
Both my lip and palate have been repaired by a plastic surgeon when I was 9 weeks old, and all you see now are scars. Speech therapy was my main focus as a toddler/pre-schooler and now I am just an energetic, healthy, active and SMART kid in school!
Mom has put together this page to share with you so that you may learn more about clefts and about me. If you have any feedback, please email Kat. She's my mom and she'd be real happy to hear from you.
I love
Thomas the Tank Engine!! Mommy made a
section for me. Come look!
UPDATES ON ME:
June 2001: I had my annual appointment with the Craniofacial Clinic. The most important issue at this time was a possible lip revision. But the PS (Plastic Surgeon) says he would advise holding off on any surgery at this time unless things were bothering me (socially, etc.). But it isn't, so we won't have surgery for now. YAY!
I still go to Speech Therapy while in school. I go twice a week.
August 2000: I start Kindergarten. What a milestone! Sometimes kids are curious about my cleft, sometimes they ask questions but don't stick around for answers...Overall I think school is fun. I made some friends and like playing with my brother if I can find him on the playground during recess.
I still attend Speech through the school. My hearing is fine and I am doing very well academically. Socially I am still just a little shy.
October 20, 1999: I went to a craniofacial clinic appointment...the one that takes a long time and you see a lot of different doctors. Well, everything's almost the same as last year. My hearing tests took the longest; but fortunately my hearing is still within normal limits and my ear tubes are still working. The PS says there might be a fistula in my hard palate but nothing that needs fixing now. Aside from some (optional) revisions on my lip, there isn't anything to worry about for now (Yay!)
In speech therapy, I am working on my articulation. I am slightly hypernasal, also. I love going to speech :-)
September 1999: Mom has enrolled me into another special ed preschool (we've moved recently). This class has just 4 other kids in it; and 2 teachers. So I get lots of attention.
April 1999: I went for a hearing test follow-up. Same as in January, my tests were inconclusive. We'll try again in 3 months.
January 1999: I have been accepted into a special education pre-school classroom. This is mostly because of my Speech Therapy. I was evaluated a few months ago. My articulation errors are plentiful :) giving me just a 65% intelligibility scoring. I will like going to school.
I also had a hearing test this month too. Unfortunately this time around I didn't pass. Or rather, the tests were inconclusive. It doesn't mean I have lost my hearing. It could just be that my tubes have come out or are clogged with ear wax. We'll see the ENT soon so we'll know for sure.
October 8, 1998: I had a routine check up with a Plastic Surgeon. So far I'm clear of surgeries for another year! Hooray. A lip revision is possible in a year or so.
My speech is a little delayed* but coming along VERY well. I can say more words and it is fun! We are working on getting Sheldon into speech therapy once more (we had moved & stopped services for a while).
*According to my last speech therapist, I should have 75 percent intelligibility by age 2.5 yrs.
WAVS! (For those who can hear .wav files)
Click here to hear me
saying "Hi Daddy", 10/1/97
Click here to hear me say my name, 2/6/98
Last Update: 9/13/2001