As a baby develops, the lip and palate grow together and fuse in the middle. This fusion forms the roof of the mouth and the upper lip. When the area does not close correctly, a cleft lip or a cleft palate occurs. Some children have a cleft lip or a cleft palate and other children have both conditions. They are common birth defects, affecting about one out of every 700 to 1,000 babies in the United States each year, according to KidsHealth from Nemours.
Cleft Lip
A cleft lip does not join as usual and the defect to the lip is noticeable on the baby's face. The cleft may occur on one or both sides of the face, according to the Mayo Clinic. The extent of the cleft lip varies between children. The cleft may leave a small, notched area in the upper lip or a grooved opening may form from the upper lip to the base of the nose in the lip and the gum.
Cleft Palate
A cleft palate occurs when the roof of the mouth does not fuse together while the baby develops in the first seven weeks after conception, according to the March of Dimes. The cleft palate leaves an opening from the roof of the mouth to the sinus cavity behind the nose. The cleft may involve the soft palate, the hard palate or both. The cleft can occur on only on one side of the face or on both sides. When both sides are involved, the clefts form two separate lines of openings. A cleft palate without a cleft lip may receive a delayed diagnosis, especially when the cleft palate only involves the soft palate, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Decreased Hearing and Ear Infections
Babies with a cleft lip or a cleft palate have an increased risk of hearing loss. The condition causes a collection of fluid in the inner ear because the tubes from the ear do not drain properly in to the throat. The fluid in the ears causes decreased hearing and an increased risk of developing ear infections. Without proper treatment, such as ear tubes surgically placed in the eardrum, the hearing loss may become permanent.
Difficulty Feeding
The opening in the lip and palate with a cleft defect may make feeding difficult for the child. The cleft may cause poor sucking ability and it may cause fluid to enter the sinus cavity. Prosthetic pieces may help create a temporary palate to stop the flow into the nose.
Dental Problems
Children who have cleft palates may have dental problems later in life. The defect in the palate and gums may cause problems with the development of teeth. Some conditions that may occur in the teeth include missing teeth that never develop, misaligned teeth, malformed teeth and cavities, according to KidsHealth from Nemours.
