Development of improved cleft lip/palate face models for teaching parents of children with cleft lip/palate
Pradubwong, S.; Govist, W.; Patjanasoontorn, N.; Chowchuen, B.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 93(Suppl 4): S19-S23
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 21299049 Document Number: 12006
The objective of this study was to improve and evaluate cleft lip/palate face models to give support information to the parents whose children have cleft lip/palate. Cleft lip/palate face models are made from a mold of about the same size as a child'head using rubber, wood and silicone and can be separated into parts to match the severity of the disease. The authors surveyed two representative samples of new candidate parents whose children had cleft lip/palate (10 in a pilot study then 30 in the larger study) and five nurses (who had taken care of the cleft lip/palate patients). The questionnaire was designed by the researchers and it had a Cronbach's reliability of a = 0.72. The result of the pilot evaluation revealed that the overall satisfaction score was high but the color of the models was not realistic so the satisfaction score was medium. After improvements of the colour and the post-surgical scar, the qualification and satisfaction scores were high (average 4.2). The authors present an improved cleft lip/palate face models for educational use to parents of children with cleft lip/palate. The models had an overall good level of satisfaction. Using face models to give information helped parents to know and understand about the condition, treatments, caregiving and scheduling age-determined visits for treatments.