Smiles for Kids Blog
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
FDA issues CellCept and Myfortic pregnancy alert
The FDA has issued an alert regarding the increased risk of first trimester spontaneous abortion and fetal congenital malformations with the use of CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil, from Roche) and Myfortic (mycophenolic acid, from Novartis). The FDA has received reports of infants born with microtia and cleft lip and palate, following CellCept exposure during pregnancy. In most cases, the mothers were taking CellCept following organ transplant to prevent organ rejection. However, some mothers taking CellCept were being treated for immune-mediated conditions. Prior to prescribing CellCept and Myfortic to women capable of becoming pregnant, clinicians should provide fetal risk information, counsel and instruction about contraception options, and confirm that the patient is not pregnant.
CellCept is approved to prevent heart, liver, and kidney transplant rejection and Myfortic is approved to prevent kidney transplant rejection.
For more information visit www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#MMF.
Via http://www.prescribingreference.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
Timing Improves Cleft Palate Surgery
From ScienceDail.com
Research by Dr. Damir Matic, a scientist with Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario is changing the way cleft palate surgeries are performed throughout North America and around the world. Matic has been conducting research to determine the optimal time to close the gum tissue of cleft palate patients. His research suggests that it is best to wait until the child is older.
Read the full article here
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Family knows where economic stimulus money will go: child's surgery
A cleft palate story from SalisuryPost.com
Uncle Sam is about to mail millions of Americans a special bonus, and Lee and Peggy Fisher know exactly what they'll buy first.
"We're buying a lip," Lee Fisher said this week as he and Peggy paused to talk to a reporter on Main Street in Salisbury.
Holly, the youngest of the Fishers' four children, was born with cleft palate. She's already had one corrective surgery, and the couple plan to spend their part of a $168 billion economic stimulus package on their co-pay for a second operation for Holly.
Read the whole story here.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Neosho family understands the importance of the support the Children's Miracle Network offers
A craniosynostosis story from the Neosho Daily News
“CMN helped us by providing us with gas money and gave us vouchers to stay at the Ronald McDonald House for free,” said Andrew. “We have also received help from CMN with our daughters medical expenses as well. Yszabehl was born with a cleft lip and had surgery when she a few months old to repair it. The surgeon who performed Ghabriel’s surgery is a cleft and craniofacial specialist. He looked at Yszabehl’s lip and saw that she needed some of the scar tissue removed that was a result of her surgery as a baby. He has performed two revision surgeries on Yszabehl and we have regular checkups in Kansas City for both Yszabehl and Ghabe. CMN has helped us with our travel expenses each trip.”
Read the whole story here.
Monday, May 5, 2008
'Mirrors don't lie' - Crooked features led to baby's diagnosis
A craniosynostosis surgery story from GJSentinal.com
Hindsight, they said, is perfect, but they should have trusted themselves because, “We knew something was wrong,” Denise LeSage said.
“Look in the mirror,” Sean LeSage said. “Mirrors don’t lie. As parents, we try to talk ourselves out of things being wrong.”
Read the story here.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Pharaoh explained: Expert to address meeting on ruler's odd appearance
From the Baltimore Sun
Braverman believes Akhenaten's feminine characteristics were the result of familial gynecomastia caused by an inherited hormone imbalance known as aromatase excess syndrome. His misshapen head was the result of craniosynostosis, where the joints in the skull fuse at too early an age and interfere with healthy skull formation.
Read the rest of the article here: