Cleft lip and palate affect one in 2,500 newborns in the US, caused by incomplete closure of facial features during pregnancy. Genetic and environmental factors can contribute, and treatment involves surgery, orthodontics, and speech therapy. Complications include speech delays, ear infections, and missing teeth.
Cleft lip and palate are the most common type of facial malformation in newborns, affecting about one in 2,500 people born in the United States. A cleft lip develops when the opening in the upper lip doesn’t close completely during pregnancy. The opening can range from a small notch in the upper lip to complete separation on either side of the mouth, extending all the way to the nose. The bones of the upper gum line and upper jaw can also be separated. A cleft palate is when the soft palate, toward the back of the roof of the mouth, or both the soft and hard palate, toward the front of the mouth, don’t close completely during pregnancy.
Cleft lip and palate appear when different facial features, which develop separately in utero, don’t connect properly before birth. The palate typically closes at 10 weeks of gestation, while the labrum closes between five and six weeks of gestation. This locking, especially the lip locking, occurs early in pregnancy, before many women realize they are pregnant.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are linked to both genetic and environmental problems. Children whose parents were born with cleft lip or palate are four to six times more likely to have clefts than a child without this family history. Researchers also believe that environmental issues such as vitamin deficiencies during gestation, exposure to toxins, or maternal exposure to viruses may prevent the lip and palate from closing properly. Also, some groups, such as some Native American and Asian tribes, are more prone to developing cleft lip and palate.
Cleft lip and palate require treatment through a combination of therapies, including orthodontic correction, surgery, and speech therapy. The best results of surgical correction are obtained when the surgery is performed when the baby is between the ages of six weeks and nine months. Children with cleft lip and cleft palate often have complications that go hand-in-hand with the condition, including speech problems, speech delays, more frequent ear infections than normal, hearing loss, improperly placed teeth, and missing teeth . Each case is evaluated on an individual basis to address the particular symptoms affecting the child. Several surgeries may be needed over a period of years, but most children with cleft lip and palate can eventually develop normal speech, health, and appearance.
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