What are Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate?

Cleft lip and cleft palate occur during pregnancy when a child’s lip or palate (roof of the mouth) does not fuse completely.

A cleft lip can be a small gap in the upper lip or extend up to a child’s nose. A cleft palate can occur in conjunction with a cleft lip or independently and it is a gap in the roof of a child’s mouth. Cleft lip and cleft palate can sometimes be diagnosed using ultrasound during pregnancy, but can also be diagnosed after birth. Cleft lip and cleft palate can result in difficulty in speech development, feeding, and problems with hearing and teeth. Within the first year of life, a child might receive surgery to repair the lip and/or palate gap. Additional assistance can be found with a dentist, orthodontist, and/or speech therapist.

 

Additional Resources:

• Pediatrics Plus offers Speech Language Therapy services to help remediate deficits in speech or feeding skills that might occur due to cleft lip and/or palate.
• Smile Train supports local medical groups that treat cleft lip and cleft palate. They also have great lists of resources, including tools to connect you with providers.
• American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) supports medical professionals and families as they navigate cleft lip and cleft palate. ACPA also offers membership options so families can form deeper connections within the community.
• Check out this Facebook support group for the cleft lip and cleft palate community: A Cleft Mommy's Bond of Friendship Etc.

 

Resources for this article include the CDC.