What is a cleft lip?

A cleft lip is where the lip has not completely formed while the baby is in the womb. It can vary from a small notch in the lip to a complete split reaching to the nose. A cleft gum is frequently associated with a cleft lip and this too can vary from a small notch to a total cleaving of the gum into separate parts. A cleft lip can be very distressing to the child’s parents, because it is so noticeable especially if it is severe.

What is a cleft palate?

The ‘palate’ is the roof of the mouth, and is in two parts, the ‘hard palate’ towards the front of the mouth and the ‘soft palate’ towards the rear. If the roof of the mouth does not completely close this condition is called a ‘cleft palate’. It can range in severity from a small opening to an almost total division of the roof of the mouth. Sometimes the cleft will also include the lip.

Occasionally, a baby with a cleft palate will also have a small lower jaw and these two factors may cause some difficulty in breathing. When this occurs, it is sometimes known as Pierre Robin Sequence.

What causes the condition/s?

The causes of the conditions are not clearly understood. The fact that it can run in families has led some researchers to suggest a genetic cause, although sometimes only one child in the family will have the condition, while no other member does. Others have suggested that environmental factors have a bearing on the cause. Some of these include maternal illnesses, drugs, infections, maternal smoking and alcohol use. Possible problems associated with the condition/s Probably the biggest worry to parents of a child with the condition is how to feed the child. Feeding may be difficult because the condition prevents the infant from suckling properly. This is more pronounced in babies with a cleft palate than those with a cleft lip.

There may also be problems with speech and language because of the deformity of the mouth and babies with a cleft palate are more susceptible to middle ear infections.

Treatments for the condition

The normal treatment is surgery to repair the cleft. Most surgeons agree that a cleft lip should be repaired by the age of three months and a cleft palate between the ages of 9 to 18 months. Further surgery may be required however.

Support Groups and Charities

Several charities and organisations exist to assist people who have the condition and to raise money to research the causes and treatment of it. These include the Cleft Lip and Palate Association in the UK and the Cleft Palate Foundation in America.