Laik's journey through childhood and beyond with cleft lip and palate

In 2005, Bridget Clause was five months pregnant when she suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized. The cause of her illness—whether a stomach virus or food poisoning—remains unclear to this day. However, Bridget often suspects that this sickness may have played a role in the high blood pressure she battled for the remainder of her pregnancy.  

For the following weeks, Bridget continued to undergo regular check-ups. During one ultrasound, however, her doctors noticed anomalies that they couldn't identify.  

“This was nearly two decades ago, and they didn’t have the advanced 3-D imaging technology they have today,” Bridget recalled.  

Ultimately, complications from her high blood pressure forced her delivery date to move up nearly a month early, and Bridget and her husband, Kevin, welcomed their little boy, Laik, into the world on May 10, 2005.  

Immediately after his birth, however, Bridget’s doctors finally understood the irregularities they observed in the ultrasound: Laik was born with a bilateral complete cleft lip and palate. A cleft palate is a condition where there is an opening or split in the roof of the mouth that occurs when the tissue does not fuse properly during fetal development. In Laik's case, he also had a cleft lip, which is a split in the upper lip. 

These conditions made it impossible for Laik to feed normally, and he had to use a Haberman Feeder, a special bottle designed for babies who struggle with sucking. Physical and occupational therapists also worked closely with Bridget and Kevin, teaching them techniques that would support his feeding to help him grow and develop properly.  

“We really wanted to avoid having to tube feed him, so we worked and worked with him, and we prayed and prayed, and he caught on,” Bridget recalled.  

When Laik was discharged from their local hospital, he weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces, but he needed to reach at least 10 pounds before he could undergo his first surgery. For the next three months, Bridget and Kevin dedicated themselves to feeding him and addressing his needs.  

Laik experienced several complications due to his condition, including colic, which was exacerbated by sinus drainage issues caused by his cleft lip and palate. Bridget recalled the period with a mix of worry and faith. "We went to church and took care of Laik,” she said. “God had given us this beautiful child, and I knew He would help us through this journey." 

Another concerning issue was Laik's persistent failure in hearing tests. An Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist (ENT) examined him and recommended placing tubes in his ears during his first cleft surgery to address the drainage problems caused by his cleft lip and palate. Thankfully, this intervention confirmed that Laik’s hearing was normal and that his previous test failures were due to excessive drainage. 

Laik’s medical journey has been extensive, yet his recovery has been remarkable, with minimal hospital stays and hardly any need for pain medication throughout. He has undergone 18 surgeries, starting with the ear tube placement and an initial cleft lip repair when he was just three months old in 2005.  

Laik became a patient at Children’s Hospital New Orleans when he needed to undergo additional surgeries throughout his childhood to address his cleft lip and palate. In 2022, at 17 years old, he underwent a second bone graft. This surgery was performed by Dr. Brett King, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, along with Dr. Mohamad Masoumy, who specializes in Craniofacial, Plastic, and Reconstructive Surgery at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. The most recent surgeries took place in July and December of 2023 when Laik, at 18 years old, had his upper and lower jaws surgically corrected.  

"Correcting a cleft lip and palate is a complex, multi-step process that extends over a period of time, starting from infancy into late adolescence,” explained Dr. Masoumy. “Initially, we address the lip and then the palate repair by about one year of age. These meticulous procedures are performed to correct the physical appearance and include repositioning and repairing the muscles of the lip and palate to restore function. Additional interventions might include orthodontic treatments and additional surgeries to replace missing bone, reposition the jaws for functional occlusion and correction of nasal obstruction and appearance. Each step is carefully planned based on the individual's unique needs to optimize speech, dental alignment, and facial reconstruction.” 

Throughout his treatments, Laik has also been working with Dr. Melanie Fowler, an orthodontist who has coordinated his care closely with Dr. King in preparation for his surgeries. In May, Dr. Masoumy completed Laik’s rhinoplasty, and he is thrilled with the results. 

“The care we have received across the board has been extraordinary, and Laik has been such a trooper throughout it all,” Bridget said. “We will always be so grateful to Children’s Hospital New Orleans for supporting our family in this journey.”  

Throughout all his medical challenges, Laik has continuously participated in speech therapy and has always dreamed big. Despite being born with a cleft lip and palate, Laik never let it diminish his spirit; he was born a performer, and his parents supported his artistic inclinations by enrolling him in music lessons at a young age. He loves to play guitar and has written more than 60 songs. He has even recently released an album called “Why We Live,” and will soon be releasing a song reflecting on his experiences with his condition. 

“He’s always been accepted for who he is; he has lots of friends who have supported him throughout his whole life,” Bridget said. “He chose to undergo these surgeries for himself, but he’s always been special and always will be.” 

To learn more about craniofacial surgery at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, visit https://www.chnola.org/services/craniofacial-surgery/