Feeding and attachment in infants with and without orofacial clefts

Do the many feeding problems associated with isolated cleft palate (CP) and cleft lip and palate (CLP) adversely affect the emotional bond between mot her and infant? This question was addressed by observing the feeding intera ctions of 126 mother-infant pairs (57 infants with CLP or CP) at 3 and 12 m onths of age, infants with CLP were found to be less communicative during f eeding at 3 month than comparison group infants. However, by 12 months, the CLP group had improved to a level indistinguishable from the CP and compar ison groups. This change was unrelated to the timing of cleft palate surger y. Although maternal sensitivity during feeding at 3 months did not predict the attachment quality of infants with clefts, maternal sensitivity at 12 months was concurrently related to attachment. Change in maternal sensitivi ty between 3 and 12 months was also predictive of attachment in the cleft g roups, with mothers of avoidant infants showing greater attenuation in mate rnal sensitivity than the mothers of secure infants.