Youngster born with facial abnormality undergoes surgery

By CRETILDA ALOKAKA
TWO-YEAR-OLD Shelim Kiligen underwent surgery to repair a cleft palate last Wednesday but is due for another surgery in three months, a doctor says.
Port Moresby General Hospital chief ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgeon Dr James Naipao said Kiligen would require two operations because it was a complicated cleft.
Naipao said clefts were caused either through genes or complications during pregnancy.
He said the surgery was done on the hard palate and lip cleft but Kiligen would need another surgery.
“The first surgery was done to the tooth sticking out, to fit it back into its original place,” Naipao said.
“The second surgery will be done to straighten her upper lip.”
Kiligen’s mother Prisila from Southern Highlands said her daughter had been born with it.
She said despite her daughter’s condition, the little girl had managed with her condition and the surgery had finally corrected it and would see her be able to have a normal life.
She said the cleft had not affected her eating nor breathing or speech.
“Shelim is a strong girl, despite the cleft she loves her hard food of boiled sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas or any boiled local food,” Prisila said.
“After the surgery, her eating became affected because of a sore gum,”
She is now taking only soft food or mashed food.”