Xiao Xiang’s Story: A Premature Baby with Cleft Palate
Xiao Xiang weighed just two kilograms when he was born, and his early arrival brought a brief moment of joy to the family of four, but that joy was soon washed away by reality – as the fourth child in the family, two of his three siblings had already been diagnosed with autism. His mother had to quit her job to care for the child, and the family relied on his father’s part-time job to support them. The family’s already poor situation was exacerbated by the high cost of autism rehabilitation, and they gradually fell into a difficult situation.
In October 2024, Xiao Xiang’s parents contacted the United Foundation for China’s Health (UFCH) through a local charity organization and submitted a request for assistance. Sensing the urgency of this particular family’s plight, the Foundation team immediately began reviewing the materials, and after confirming that they were eligible for assistance, they immediately coordinated medical resources and pushed to schedule the surgery as soon as possible, so that this small, underweight man in desperate need of surgery could receive treatment as soon as possible.
In November 2024, Xiao Xiang’s family arrived in Beijing for the first time for a preoperative evaluation. Outside the clinic, Xiao Xiang, who had just wiped away his tears, lay in his mother’s arms, holding a bottle of milk and drinking slowly, but even then he occasionally choked and coughed. After a thorough evaluation by stomatologists at Beijing United Family Hospital, Xiao Xiang was supposed to be ready for surgery in 10 days. However, the surgery was delayed due to two previous outbreaks of influenza – when the Foundation’s medical coordinator was first notified to come to Beijing, Xiao Xiang developed a persistent low-grade fever during the trip during the winter flu season, and Xiao Xiang contracted the flu again during the second pre-operative preparation. It wasn’t until March 2025, with the support of the UFCH, that the cleft palate repair was successfully completed for this young child who had been through so much.
The next day after the surgery, the Foundation team visited Xiao Xiang in his hospital room. The little boy was sleeping soundly. We gently placed a plush bear of healing and hope on his pillow, so that this soft “little guardian” would quietly accompany him on his road to recovery and build his courage to overcome his pain.
One month after the operation, Xiao Xiang’s recovery is much better than before the operation. The slurred speech and shortness of breath once caused by the cleft palate have been completely eliminated, and he now has a clear voice and can clearly call out “Mommy”. The improvement in his diet is also gratifying. He can swallow rice paste and puree as well as children his age, and his supplements no longer flow out of his nose when he eats. Thanks to the good absorption of nutrients, his body shape has obviously become much stronger. Xiao Xiang’s parents could finally relax their tense nerves when they saw the child’s lively and beautiful appearance, and their eyes were full of relief.
In order to assess the impact of the cleft palate on Xiao Xiang’s speech development, the doctors have recommended that he return to the hospital for a follow-up examination when he reaches the age of two. UFCH will continue to monitor Xiao Xiang’s progress and, if necessary, continue to support his speech and language training to help him regain his language skills, integrate into the school community, and confidently paint a picture of his life.