Cleft lip and palate is a birth defect in which there is an opening in the lip and palate (roof of the mouth).
Population
According to the Mayo Clinic, one in 700 infants in the United States are born with cleft lip and palate. Doctors can recognize these features with an ultrasound (picture obtained via sound waves) before birth.
Symptoms
Cleft lip and palate's most common symptoms include a notch in the lip or palate (roof of the mouth), trouble speaking, problems eating, inability to gain weight and teeth problems, according to Medline Plus.
Cause
Cleft lip and palate have genetic and environmental causes. According to the Mayo Clinic, infants can inherit the disfiguring condition or the baby can be exposed to such toxins as alcohol, cigarette smoke, drugs and viruses in the womb.
Treatment
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are recommended time frames when the cleft lip and palate should be repaired. The cleft lip should be repaired between birth and 3 months of age. The cleft palate should be repaired by the time the child is 1 year old. Follow-up surgeries occur between the ages of 2 years old and the teenage years. Speech and psychological therapies are also available to help your child speak and develop properly.
Famous Ties
Famous people with cleft lip and palate include Jesse Jackson Sr. and Tad Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln's fourth son.
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