Colin Grantham and baby daughter Isabella were both born with cleft palates and repair surgery at W&CH

It’s a condition that affects one in every 800 babies born in Australia each year.

Cleft palate patient baby Isabella who had surgery in the Women's and Children's Hospital with father Colin Gratham and mother Zoe. Pictures supplied by SA Health.

Colin Grantham and baby daughter Isabella share a bond beyond love.

Both were born with cleft palates, and both had repair surgery at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Mr Grantham’s cleft palate came as a surprise to his parents when he was born in 1993 but he and fiance Zoe Burnell were made aware of Isabella’s cleft palate during a routine ultrasound scan.

Six-month-old Isabella had her first surgery on July 2, a lip repair, the first of several surgeries she will need in the future.

Cleft palate patient baby Isabella with parents Colin and Zoe. Picture supplied by SA Health.

Cleft palates can be hereditary, but many cases have no family history. Picture supplied by SA Health.

While cleft palates can be hereditary many cases have no family history.

Mr Grantham was a speaker at a recent WCH Cleft Lip and Palate Family Day, where more than 90 cleft lip and palate families gathered to share experiences and support.

“I understood the gene could pass, but I hadn’t thought about it too much,” Mr Grantham said.

“When I found out, I was concerned for her because I knew what I had gone through, and as a father, I didn’t want her to have to go through that.

“I was concerned about the operations she would have and then there’s the possibility of bullying and just knowing how people could be.

“As a cleft palate patient, you face a lot of challenges quite early on in life. I’ve had a lot of surgeries, including a lip repair, a subsequent repair, a bone graft and a rhinoplasty.

“If you don’t have the right support, it can take a toll. My message to other parents is, yes, it is a big thing to have your child born with cleft lip palate, but your child is the one who needs to deal with this.

“Don’t wrap them in cotton wool. Don’t stop them doing things they enjoy. Your child will thank you for that.”

Cleft palate affects one in 800 babies born in Australia. Picture supplied by SA Health.

WCH cleft and craniofacial nurse consultant Alexandra Manna said a cleft lip and cleft palate is formed when the tissues from the sides of the baby’s face and nose do not form completely, usually occurring during early stages of pregnancy.

“It affects approximately one in every 800 babies born in Australia each year,” she said. “The palate can be formed in different ways, children can have a cleft lip without a cleft palate, or a cleft palate without a cleft lip.

“It’s important to know that there’s a lot of help out there and we work closely and support patients and their families through their cleft journey to live happy and healthy lives.”

Originally published as Colin Grantham and baby daughter Isabella were both born with cleft palates and repair surgery at W&CH