Nutrition

Operation Smile’s global nutrition programs offer a holistic approach to ensure patients receive safe, timely and effective surgery.

Through our expertise in treating cleft conditions, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver safe surgery and make a difference in the lives of children and their families. Our commitment to quality care goes beyond surgery. Children born with cleft conditions often require pre- and post-surgery comprehensive care such as dentistry, orthodontics, speech therapy, psychosocial and nutrition.

Malnutrition contributes to the deaths of 3.1 million children less than 5 years old annually, 45% of all deaths for that age group. Operation Smile patients are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, due to feeding difficulties caused by cleft conditions. Without timely intervention, patients with cleft conditions can suffer significant health problems or even death and are at higher risk of complications from surgery.

Compared to the overall population, infants with cleft conditions have nine times the odds of dying within the first year of life.

Operation Smile addresses the need for nutritional intervention through global nutrition programs that ensure patients receive safe, timely and effective surgical care. Nutrition and feeding are at the core of our comprehensive care model that aims to support patients’ optimal growth and development.

By the Numbers

With nutrition programs in six countries in 2019, our nutrition program has expanded substantially in the last five years and will continue to grow.

28

Number of Countries Where We Provide Nutritional Care

4,000+

Nutrition Patients Who Received Surgery

60,000+

Patients We’ll Reach in the Next Five Years

Our commitment to patient care includes providing breastfeeding support. Globally, nearly 600,000 children under 5 years of age die from inadequate breastfeeding each year. Breastfeeding is very difficult for infants with cleft conditions. Success is often limited and varies greatly based on the infant’s condition and support provided to the mother and family.

To successfully support mothers in providing breastmilk for their infants, the following are critical:

Early identification of infants with cleft conditions.
Breastfeeding education, including safe breastmilk expression instruction, as early as possible in the perinatal period.
Distribution of nutrition supplements and supplies as needed
Regular follow-up to ensure that the infant grows and gains weight appropriately.

Expand Your Knowledge

Operation Smile Academy is designed to enhance the experience of medical education in low- and middle-income countries and elevate the capacity for cleft care worldwide. Nutrition care providers are invited to access a complete curriculum to expand their knowledge and skillset.

Visit Operation Smile Academy