Cleft Lip & Palate

Cleft Lip & Palate

Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that results when tissues in the baby\’s face and mouth don\’t fuse properly in embryonic life .The tissues of the face that create the lip and palate fuse together in the second and third months of pregnancy. In babies with cleft lip and cleft palate, this fusion of tissues never takes place or occurs only partly, leaving wide defects on the face.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are caused by an interaction of several genetic and environmental factors. Another potential cause may be related to drugs the mother may have taken during her pregnancy. Some drugs are known to cause cleft lip and cleft palate like anti-seizure/anticonvulsant drugs, acne medications  containing Accutane, and anti cancer drugs like Methotrexate Cleft lip and cleft palate may also occur as a result of exposure to viruses or chemicals while the embryo  is developing in the womb. Other risk factors include smoking during pregnancy, diabetes, obesity, an older mother.

Cleft lip and palate occurs in about 1 to 2 per 1000 births. Cleft Lip is about twice as common in males as females, while Cleft Palate without Cleft Lip is more common in females.

Surgical repair of Cleft Lip is done in the first few months of life and is recommended within 6- 9 months of age . Surgical repair of cleft palate is recommended within the first12- 18 months of age  or earlier if possible.⁸ Many children will need additional surgical corrective procedures as they grow older. Surgical repair can improve appearance of a child’s face and might also improve feeding, breathing ,hearing, speech and language development. In fact a multi disciplinary team is needed for the comprehensive care of Cleft Lip and palate patients The team includes: a Plastic Surgeon, who will carry out the repair of the cleft, a Pediatrician, a children’s doctor to monitor the Childs growth and development ,an audiologist and a Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon, both will assess and treat hearing conditions, a Speech and language therapist, who will correct and treat speech problems, a Pediatric dentist, who will help  to prevent dental decay, an Orthodontist, who specializes in correcting jaw and dental deformities and a Clinical  Psychologist to give counseling and support to the child .