At what age is the lip usually repaired for children with clefts?

The standard timing for lip repair in children with clefts is typically around six months of age. This repair, known as cheiloplasty, is performed during a critical developmental period when infants are starting to feed better and when tissue healing is optimized. Performing the surgery too soon after birth could present challenges, such as increased risks associated with anesthesia and potential feeding difficulties.

At one year old, the child is often beyond the critical period for initial lip repair and would not be a standard practice. Similarly, delaying the surgery until three years old would extend the time the child would experience the functional and aesthetic challenges associated with a cleft lip, which is not ideal for their development and social interactions during early childhood.

The appropriate age for the surgery balances the immediate needs for feeding and facial development while ensuring the child is mature enough for the procedure to be successful and minimize complications.