Cleft Palate / Craniofacial Program
What is a cleft palate?
A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth that happened during facial development in the first trimester of pregnancy. This means that there is not a complete separation between the mouth and the nose. A cleft palate can be surgically repaired so the child is able to develop normal speech. The repairs are often done between 6-18 months of age depending on the particular child.
What is a craniofacial disorder?
A craniofacial disorder is a birth defect involving the head and possibly the eyes and orbits (eye sockets). Sometimes the ears, nose, lip, palate and upper and lower jaws can also be affected. Most craniofacial disorders can be surgically repaired by a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in craniofacial surgery. The child needs to be seen by a craniofacial team to also treat the possible speech, hearing, learning, dental, psychosocial, genetic and pediatric problems.
What causes cleft palate and craniofacial disorders?
For the most part we don’t really know. In some cases, there is a family history of cleft palate/craniofacial problems but most of the time it just happens. For some types of craniofacial disorders, a specific gene has been found to have caused the birth defect. Often times, the face and skull can be seen during a high level ultrasound exam while the mother is still pregnant. This prenatal diagnosis is helpful to educate the family prior to the birth of their baby.
What about developmental delay or mental retardation?
Most children with craniofacial disorders have normal intelligence but there is a higher incidence of learning disabilities. Children may have trouble in school specifically with expressive language and reading. Early recognition of the problem is beneficial so appropriate testing and treatment can be done before the child gets frustrated or held back in school.
What kind of speech problems do children with cleft palate usually have?
Many children with cleft palate do not have speech problems because they had early surgery (at 8-12 months of age), done by a qualified cleft palate surgeon. Young children should have speech evaluations every 6 months to make sure that their speech is developing normally.
Sometimes a child’s speech may sound like it is coming through their nose. This may be because the palate is too short to close off the nose from the mouth. Speech therapy is often helpful to teach the child how to make the sounds correctly or they may need additional surgery. It is very important to have your child seen by a cleft palate team in your area since they have experience diagnosing and treating these specific problems. For more information about speech problems related to cleft palate, you can go to www.cleftspeech.com.
How do I find a cleft palate/craniofacial team?
The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association has a website and a helpline to guide you to a team in your area (www.cleftline.org). In Florida, there are several websites including the University of Florida Craniofacial Center (www.cleft.ufl.edu) and the Florida Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (www.floridacleft.org).