Cleft Palatable

"Cleft" refers to both a cleft palate and cleft lip. A cleft palate is present when the maxilla or roof of the mouth fails to come together and fuse on it's own during fetal development. A cleft lip is when the lip has not fused on either side of the frenulum. Cleft palate and lip can occur simultaneously or in isolation of each other. 

A cleft is the second most common birth defect in the US that leaves the oral cavity and nasal cavity open to each other. (Parker et al., 2010) The first cleft repair was performed in the 1760's - surgical technique and other treatments have come a long way since then. (Sadove, Aalst, Culp, 2004) 

Palate repair is usually performed when an infant is between 6 and 12 months old. Most children receiving repair will also need the services of a Speech-Language Pathologist to assist them in producing sounds particularly affected by - but not limited to - the function of the velum. (These are sounds like k, g, and the sound ng makes together.) 

Children with cleft often learn what are called compensatory strategies in speech that become more noticeable as they age and are also targeted in speech therapy sessions. 

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