Breast-feeding and sugar intake in babies with cleft lip and palate

Objective To investigate the pattern of breast-feeding and sugar intake among babies with cleft lip and palate. Participants Caretakers of 200 babies with cleft lip and palate enrolled at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil. Results A low prevalence of breast-feeding was found. The most reported reason was the sucking inability of the baby. Complete cleft lip and palate was the primary cause affecting sucking. The first contact with sugar occurred mainly through the baby bottle with milk during the first month of life. For nutritional supplement, the children were given sugar and fruit juices in the bottle. Conclusions It was observed that dietary habits in babies with cleft lip and palate are more risky. This highlights the role played by early education and constant oral hygiene follow-up for prevention in these patients.