NICU Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate

Cleft Palate is a birth defect and condition where the roof of the mouth and the upper lip do not connect before birth.  The severity of the condition can vary, but infants born with a cleft palate, or cleft lip, may have difficulty eating, and later on in life may face hardships with talking and hearing.

Both defects are generally unmistakable, and treatment is usually surgery to repair the connection between the roof of the mouth and the upper lip.  This is usually done in several stages, the firs tof which is usually performed within the first year of life.

Infants who have cleft palate surgical repair often go on to lead normal lives, usually with very little side effects.  Scarring is common, but over time there is little evidence of a cleft defect.

Children with cleft palate and cleft lip are at risk for hearing impairments, speech difficulties, and ear/sinus infections, due to the areas affected by the defect.