INOVA Fairfax Hospital for Children’s Pediatric Craniofacial Program.

“Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises.” He was then asked: “From what do we give charity every day?” He replied “Your smile is charity.” -The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)



INOVA Fairfax Hospital for Children is a 186-bed, full-service children’s hospital devoted to the healthcare of infants, children and adolescents in the Northern Virginia area. It is nationally recognized research hospital with more than 400 board-certified pediatricians, family practice physicians and pediatric specialists providing care in the hospital’s technologically advanced, yet child-friendly environment.


INOVA’s Pediatric Craniofacial Program examines, evaluates and treats children with craniofacial abnormalities including cleft lip and cleft palate. Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth abnormalities of the mouth and lip. In the United States, nearly 6,800 babies are born with oral-facial clefts annually. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur early in pregnancy when the sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth do not fuse together as they should. A child can have cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate together are more common in boys.

“Every 3 minutes a child is born with cleft.”

Without treatment, children with cleft lip and cleft palate may have problems sucking and swallowing and may aspirate food into their lungs. Other problems arising from this deformity include delayed and distorted speech, ear and sinus infections, reading disabilities, crossbite, and problems with social interactions


Inova’s craniofacial team includes local physicians of national and international prominence who donate their time for clinical visits with children whose families have no insurance or are unable to pay.


For more information on iNova’s Pediatric programs and the tremendous work they are doing in our community, please visit: iNova Pediatric Craniofacial Program.