Kingsland, Ga., family celebrates Smileaversary of successful cleft lip surgery

KINGSLAND, Ga. - Nov. 21, 2019 - PRLog -- At 18 months, Andrew Boddie is a smiling, happy baby. His parents, Alexandria and Chrisshun Boddie, also are smiling as they celebrate the one-year "smileaversary" of Andrew's successful lip surgery.

Andrew had bilateral cleft lip surgery performed by Sarah Fernandez, MD, a pediatric plastic surgeon with the Snyder Family Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Wolfson Children's Hospital of Jacksonville and Nemours Children's Specialty Care, Jacksonville.

"From the beginning, they made sure that I had all of the tools and information I needed, giving me the knowledge and confidence that I needed so that I would know the best way to care for my baby," Alexandria said.

At 22 weeks, Alexandria's obstetrician detected a cleft lip condition near the baby's lip and mouth area during a routine ultrasound. Alexandria was referred to the Snyder Family Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Wolfson Children's Hospital. The Center's Cleft Palate Team provided the Boddies with information about their son's condition, future treatment and care.

"Cleft lip and palate patients have a unique set of needs which go beyond the surgical care involved," explained Dr. Fernandez. "The gold standard of cleft care is an interdisciplinary team which can provide coordinated care."

Before Andrew was born, the Center's support team helped Alexandria understand what to expect. They provided a treatment plan overview and explained the concept of team care. They discussed the special feeding needs of a newborn born with a cleft and demonstrated specialty feeding systems. When Andrew was born at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, the support team arrived shortly after to provide Alexandria and her new baby with feeding support, cleft education and specific treatment planning.

"Even though I'm a nurse, I had never experienced anything like this before," Alexandria said.

At four months, Andrew had a cleft lip repair surgery performed by Dr. Fernandez at Wolfson Children's Hospital.

In addition to the lip surgery, Andrew had palate surgery in February 2019. The Boddies are grateful to have received exceptional medical and surgical care close to home.

The Snyder Family Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Wolfson Children's Hospital is an ACPA-approved Team and has met the Standards of Team Care for Cleft and Craniofacial Teams set by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA).

Wolfson Children's Hospital's regional program is one of 112 in the country, seven in Florida and two in Georgia to have earned this approval.

The Snyder Family Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Wolfson Children's Hospital helps children from North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Wolfson Children's Hospital provides cleft and craniofacial services in partnership with Nemours Children's Specialty Care, Jacksonville (https://www.nemours.org/locations/florida-pediatric-speci...), and the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville (http://www.hscj.ufl.edu/medicine/), Partnership for Child Health and community private practice providers.