NEUROPSYCHOLOGIC IMPACT OF FACIAL DEFORMITIES IN CHILDREN - NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ROLE OF THE FACE IN COMMUNICATION AND BONDING

The face is the primary tool of human communication. In early childhoo d, the face plays a crucial role in bonding and attachment. Severe cra niofacial problems may alter bonding and attachment, thereby resulting in future risk for emotional, behavioral, and social problems. Clinic al and research findings, while incomplete, suggest that this is the c ase. This conceptual understanding of the key role of face-to-face com munication in early childhood provides a compelling rationale for earl y repair of craniofacial deformations.