Page 4 - Behind The Smile - Spring 2015

Why is Corey Smiling?
Sheila Smith remembers vividly for help. She worked with a the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic
how she felt when her son, Corey, was born. “I felt so guilty because I didn’t know if his condition was because of something I had done. I felt overwhelmingly guilty.”
Corey was born with a cleft lip and a cleft palate and his mother, Sheila, was unprepared. “We didn’t have an ultrasound when I was pregnant,” she said, “so we didn’t know that this was going to happen. My main concern when he was born and we learned of his condition was ‘how was I go- ing to feed this baby.’”
Like most new parents facing the challenges of craniofacial conditions, Sheila started looking
nursing assistant at York Hospital, where Corey was born, and was very grateful for the experience the nursing assistant had with babies who needed special care.
“She told me about a Haberman feeder, so I was able to feed him and get some nourishment into him,” noted Sheila. “We went
to the pharmacy to buy some
of the Haberman feeders and they were getting ready to send them back to the manufacturer because they hadn’t sold any. So, we were lucky we got there when we did and were able to buy them.”
Dr. Davis, from the York Hospi- tal, referred Sheila and Corey to
and Sheila was so grateful to find a place where Corey could get the special help he needed. Sheila remembers feeling so
“What I want parents to know is that there is hope. They just need to reach out
to the Clinic or to other parents and know that they are not alone.”
relieved to be at the Clinic. “As Corey grew older, he realized that there were other kids like
Page 4 ____________________________ Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic ••• Behind the Smile eMagazine ••• Spring 2015