Cleft Lip/Palate

By: Antioniqua Rose

What Causes Cleft Lip ?• Cleft lip and also cleft palate occurs

when tissues in the baby’s face and mouth don’t form properly .

Is Cleft Lip Dominant Or Recessive ?

• Dominant traits are from the mom and dad, and they show up. Recessive traits hide in you and they are covered up by dominant ones.

What Effects Does Cleft Lip Have On Infants and Children?

• The effects Cleft Lip have on infants is that its very harder for them to eat, they have to have special bottles for them to swallow the milk more easily.

• For older children it also hard for them to eat and swallow.

How Is Cleft Lip Diagnosed ?• A baby may have a mild instance of

cleft palate that only involves his/her soft palate the fleshy tissue at the back of his/her mouth. This type of cleft may not show up on ultrasound, and may not be noticeable until the infant experiences difficulty feeding. At that point, a clinician will perform a comprehensive exam to identify the exact nature of the problem.

List The Symptoms Of Cleft Lip.

• Change in nose shape (how much the shape changes varies)

• Poorly aligned teethProblems that may be present because of a cleft lip or palate are;• Failure to gain weight• Feeding problems• Flow of milk through nasal passages during feeding• Poor growth• Repeated ear infections• Speech difficulties.

What Are Screening Tests Are Conducted For Cleft Lip?

• A carefully performed level 1 office ultrasound can detect or suspect some cases of cleft lip/ palate .

What Are Diagnostic Tests Are Done To Determine If The Baby Has A Cleft Lip?

• Most cases of cleft lip and cleft palate are immediately apparent at birth and don't require special tests for diagnosis.

• Cleft lip may be detected with ultrasound beginning around the 18th week of pregnancy. As the fetus continues developing, it may be easier to accurately diagnose a cleft lip. Cleft palate that occurs on its own is more difficult to diagnose using ultrasound, since it can be difficult to see inside the fetus' mouth.

Are There Any Treatments For This Disorder? How Is It Treated ?

• Surgery to close the cleft lip is often done when the child is between 6 weeks and 9 months old. Surgery may be needed later in life if the problem has a big effect on the nose area.

How Can Genetic Counseling Be Helpful To Potential Parents?

• Before genetic counseling can be given, numerous syndromes must be excluded.

Is There A Specific Group Of People Cleft Lip Affects The Most ?

About 50 percent of all cleftsMore common in Asians and certain groups of American IndiansOccurs less frequently in African AmericansUp to 13 percent of cases present with other birth defectsOccurs more often in male children

Websites-Resources • http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleft_lip_and_palate

• http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/cleftLipPalate.cfm

• http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/cleft-lip-cleft-palate

• http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site2034/mainpageS2034P1.html