Cleft lip and palate

What is it?

If a baby is born with a cleft lip, his upper lip has a split in it, which is usually slightly off-centre. This may just be a little notch or it may extend up to his nose. Sometimes there are two splits.

If he has a cleft palate, he has a gap in the roof of his mouth, either in part of it or all the way from the back of his palate to behind his gums. The conditions often, but not always, occur together.

What causes it?

Cleft lip and cleft palate are caused by the bones in the baby’s mouth not fusing properly in the first few weeks after conception. There is usually no identifiable cause for this happening, although cleft lip and palate do seem to run in families.

Very occasionally a cleft lip can be detected by ultrasound.

Looking after a child with cleft lip or cleft palate

Parents may find it distressing at first if their baby has a cleft lip or cleft palate, because of the effect on his appearance, but both conditions can be repaired very effectively. The immediate concern is that the baby can feed properly. This generally isn’t a problem for a baby with a cleft lip, but a cleft palate can make it difficult to suck properly and the baby may need to be fed with a special teat or spoon.

Cleft lip is usually operated on when the baby is 1-3 months old. The operation for cleft palate is usually done around 9-12 months. Further operations may be needed around the time the child starts school, and again in adolescence after the child has stopped growing.

Having a cleft lip doesn’t usually cause any ongoing problems, but a cleft palate can be associated with hearing and speech difficulties. The child is therefore likely to need to have his hearing and speech monitored as he goes through childhood. He may need to be monitored by an orthodontist too.

For more information about cleft lip and palate contact the Cleft Lip and Palate Association, or visit their website.