Cleft palate diet - For toddler preschool or school-age children

How should I feed my child?

• You will need to feed your child with care so the surgery repair may heal.
• Right after surgery, your child must eat very soft foods.  Use an infant spoon for a young child. Do not use a plastic, disposable spoon with an infant or toddler.  Do not let a young child feed themself. 
• Cup: Check the cup before you use it.
  – A sippy cup should have a short spout.  It must be vented so your child does not have to suck.  A vented cup lets the fluid run out when the cup is held upside down.
  – If the cup has a no-spill valve, take it out. You may need to poke a very small hole in the lid across from the spout so the liquid flows freely.
  – An open, uncovered cup may also be used. 
  – Do not let your child use straws.

Foods allowed after surgery

• Yogurt and pudding
• Soft ice cream, sherbet, or milkshakes
• Instant breakfast drinks and smoothies
• Soft scrambled eggs and boiled eggs
• Sliced cheese
• Cooked noodles and pastas
• Macaroni and cheese
• Spaghetti and ravioli with sauce
• Pancakes
• Applesauce and soft canned fruits in small pieces
• Soft cooked vegetables in small pieces
• Soft cooked meats in small pieces
• Soups and broths like chicken noodle and tomato soup
  

Avoid these foods for 6 weeks after surgery. These foods may injure your child’s surgical site as it heals.

•  Snack chips (potato chips, corn chips, cheese puffs)
• Any type of hard candy, suckers, taffy
• Popsicles (Requires sucking)
• Peanut butter
• Rice, which can stick to the stitches
• Popcorn or pretzels
• Crunchy or hard crusts or coatings on food
• Crackers or crunchy cereals
• Hard or crunchy fruits or vegetables like apples, celery or carrots

For more health and wellness information check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents