What is Cleft Lip and Palate?
Cleft lip and cleft palate are holes or clefts in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate), or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when a fetus's facial structures do not fully close.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are some of the most common birth defects. They most often occur as isolated birth defects, but are also associated with many inherited genetic syndromes or disorders.
Having a baby born with these defects can be distressing, but cleft lip and palate can be corrected. In almost all babies, a series of surgeries can be performed to restore proper function and a more normal appearance, with minimal scarring.
Symptoms
A cleft lip or palate is usually immediately identifiable at birth. Cleft lip and palate may manifest as follows:
A separation in the lip and upper mouth that affects one or both sides of the face.
A separation in the lip that may appear only as a small cleft or may extend from the lip through the upper gum and palate to the bottom of the nose.
A separation at the top of the mouth that does not affect the appearance of the face.
Less commonly, a cleft occurs only in the muscles of the soft palate (submucous cleft palate), which are located at the back of the mouth and are lined by the palate membrane. This type of cleft often goes unnoticed at birth and may not be diagnosed until later when symptoms appear. Signs and symptoms of a submucous cleft palate may include:
Difficulty with feeding
Difficulty swallowing, with the possibility of liquids or food coming out through the nose
Nasal voice when speaking
Chronic ear infections
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