A cleft palate is a birth defect that happens when the roof of a baby’s mouth does not develop correctly while in the womb. This causes an opening or “cleft” in the roof of the baby’s mouth that may go all of the way to the baby’s nasal cavity. It is possible for a cleft to form on any part of the palate. A cleft palate may appear alone as the only birth defect, or in combination with other birth defects of the face and skull. A cleft lip is a birth defect that is commonly seen in children with cleft palates.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are the most commonly occurring birth defects of the head and neck. Until a cleft palate is surgically repaired, the child can experience issues with feeding, hearing, and speaking.
Although the causes of a cleft palate are not well understood, there is some evidence that a baby is more likely to have this birth defect if the mother takes certain medications while she is pregnant, smokes while she is pregnant, uses alcohol or illegal drugs while she is pregnant, the mother is exposed to infection or radiation while pregnant, or there is a history of cleft palates in the family. It is extremely important to take care of yourself when you are pregnant to ensure the overall health of your baby.
Some forms of cleft palate are easily identifiable and affect the overall look of the baby’s face. However, cleft palates that do not change the outward appearance of a baby’s face are generally visible when looking in the baby’s mouth.
The location of the cleft is actually far more important than how the cleft looks. For example, a small cleft in the south palate is likely to cause more problems than a large visible cleft, because of the affect on speech.
Many babies with cleft palates have difficulty feeding because they are not able to suck or swallow normally. This may not always be the case, especially if the cleft is treated.
Cleft palates are relatively easy to diagnose. A physician will examine the baby’s mouth shortly after birth.
Fetal ultrasounds can sometimes find cleft palates as early as 14 to 16 weeks into the pregnancy. For this to happen, the cleft palate usually has to be quite severe and occur with a cleft lip. Ultrasounds are not always able to pick up the birth defect, so doctors do not rely on fetal ultrasounds to diagnose cleft palates.
Treatment for a cleft palate usually involves surgery and is scheduled between 12 and 18 months of age. The child may require several surgeries to completely treat a cleft palate, but the condition is typically resolved by the time the child reaches his teens.
Some children with cleft palates require further treatment for other issues, such as hearing, speech, or teeth problems; sinus and ear infections; and problems from surgery.
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Excellent/informative post. Cleft lips and palates can often be very difficult for parents in the U.S. who aren’t quite sure what next steps are, if their baby will be okays, etc. No doubt it’s a rush of emotion to find something like this out. But think of if you were a parent of a child with a cleft lip or palate not in the U.S. and didn’t have the same medical standards available to you.
Good thing there are charities like Operation Smile that work all over the world and perform cleft lip repair for kids in need.