NATIONAL RESOURCES OF INTEREST

TO FAMILIES OF CRANIOFACIALLY-AFFECTED CHILDREN

The following is a listing of National resources that may have information or services of interest to our families.

Wide Smiles:
Offers a quarterly magazine, WIDE SMILES, for lay audience, as well as website and online discussion list, Cleft-Talk. WIDE SMILES, Written by parents, for parents of children born with cleft. This magazine is packed with useful, practical, inspirational articles that speak to a lay audience of intelligent parents. We discuss topics that touch our children at every developmental level. While WIDE SMILES is written and edited by parents, we also have a consulting staff of more than a dozen professionals whose expertise ensures reliability. WIDE SMILES Wide Smiles Inc. PO Box 5153 Stockton, CA 92105-0153 ($20 per yr; outside US, $24 US funds) Website URL: HTTP://www.widesmiles.org

Cleft-Talk
offers a forum in which parents offer help to parents and they can all discuss topics that only another parent of a cleft-affected child can understand. Daily discussions on anything and everything related to life with a cleft. Subscribe and you'll receive messages via email every day. You choose whether to respond or not... but still gain insight and share others' experiences. Cleft-Talk Subscription instructions: send email to: listproc@mother.com subject: no subject body of message: subscribe cleft-talk your name (no cost)

Cleft Palate Foundation
Provides information concerning location of craniofacial teams, support groups, other resources, as well as various literature. 1-800-24-CLEFT

Craniofacial Foundation of America FACES
Provides free newsletter and produces other educaional materials and networks for families. Offers financial support for nonmedical expenses related to treatment. 1-800-332-2373

AboutFace US and International offices,
provides information, literature, networking for all craniofacial conditions. US office: 1-800-225-FACE Box 93 Limekiln PA 19535 International Office: 1-800-665-FACE 99 Crowns Lane Toronto Canada M5R 3P4

National Parent-to-Parent Support and Information System
Provides database for parent-to-parent networking. 1-800-899-0375 Box 907 Blue Ridge GA, 30513

Family Voices
Efforts directed at providing a family voice to local, state and national policy planning. 505-867-2368 Box 769 Algodones NM, 87001

Forward Face
Provides information and financial support to families dealing with craniofacial conditions. Publishes a newsletter. Some videos available. 1-800-393-FACE 317 E 34th Street, Suite 901 New York NY, 10016

Children's Craniofacial Association
Provides information, networking and financial assistance to their familes. Also offers Cher's Family Retreat Annually 1-800-535-3643 9441 LBJ Freeway, Ste 115-LB46 Dallas TX 75243

Ability OnLine
Links children and teens with disabilities through the internet HTTP://www.ablelink.org 416-650-6207 919 Alness St North York, Ontario, Canada M3J 2J1

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
Links organizations and individuals. Provides information on a large number of rare disorders. HTTP://www.NORD-RDB.com/~orphan 203-746-6518 Box 8923 Nwe Fairfield CT, 06812

Let's Face It
Provides resource guide for people with facial differences 360-676-7325 Box 29972 Bellingham WA, 98228-1972

All About Me
(newsletter) FNMS - Foundation for Nager and Miller Syndromes 333 Country Lane Glenview, IL 60025 Margaret Ieronimo at 847-724-6449. (or toll free at 1-800-507-FNMS) FNMS recommended the following books on self-esteem for teens The books are: Breaking the Barriers to Higher Self-Esteem Barrier #1: Inferiority Feelings Barrier #2: Perfectionism Barrier #3: Pleasing Others All the Time by Jerry Hiller, PsyD, Marilyn Rochon, MA

If you know of other resources that are of interest to families dealing with cleft, please let us know so we can add them to this list. Thank you.. Contact widesmiles@aol.com