Cleft lip & Palate By: Christian Baker

What is it? Cleft lip & Palate is when a baby is born with an opening in the lip and/or roof of the mouth. Forms during the first 6-10 weeks of pregnancy when the baby’s upper jaw, nose, and mouth normally come together to form the roof of the mouth and the upper lip. Well Cleft lip & palate is when parts of the lip and mouth do not completely fuse together. Cleft lip & Palate is when a baby is born with an opening in the lip and/or roof of the mouth. Forms during the first 6-10 weeks of pregnancy when the baby’s upper jaw, nose, and mouth normally come together to form the roof of the mouth and the upper lip. Well Cleft lip & palate is when parts of the lip and mouth do not completely fuse together.

Cause Cleft lip & Palate is an autosomal dominant gene that is seen passed on to kids if one of the parents has clefting, the parents have already had one or more children with clefting, and if there are a parent and child in the family with clefting. The healthy genes when forming in pregnancy usually join between the fourth and seventh week. When the baby have cleft this does not happen. Samething for Cleft Palate except between the sixth and ninth week. Cleft lip & Palate is an autosomal dominant gene that is seen passed on to kids if one of the parents has clefting, the parents have already had one or more children with clefting, and if there are a parent and child in the family with clefting. The healthy genes when forming in pregnancy usually join between the fourth and seventh week. When the baby have cleft this does not happen. Samething for Cleft Palate except between the sixth and ninth week.

Facts In Caucasians it occurs around one in 1,000 live births, twice as common in Asians and half as common in African Americans. In Caucasians it occurs around one in 1,000 live births, twice as common in Asians and half as common in African Americans. Males are more likely to get cleft lip and palate, and females are more likely to get cleft palate alone. Males are more likely to get cleft lip and palate, and females are more likely to get cleft palate alone. Cleft lip & Palate are birth defects that occur between the fourth and eighth week of pregnancy. Cleft lip & Palate are birth defects that occur between the fourth and eighth week of pregnancy.

Affect on body Cleft lip: It can either be a small notch in the red part of the upper lip (unilateral clefts) or two wide gaps in the upper lip and a collapsed and stretched nose (bilateral clefts). Cleft lip: It can either be a small notch in the red part of the upper lip (unilateral clefts) or two wide gaps in the upper lip and a collapsed and stretched nose (bilateral clefts). Cleft palate: This can only be seen when the babys mouth is open. It is a gap along the middle of the roof of the mouth. Cleft palate: This can only be seen when the babys mouth is open. It is a gap along the middle of the roof of the mouth.

Testing and screening There are really no tests needed this a physical disorder so you will see it. You may sometimes be able to identify it during an ultrasound There are really no tests needed this a physical disorder so you will see it. You may sometimes be able to identify it during an ultrasound

Treatments Surgery: Surgery:  Cleft lip surgery- This is when the skin, muscle and lining are put in the proper place. The nose is also treated at the time of the first surgery, but often needs some minor surgeries as the child grows.  Cleft palate surgery- When the muscles at the back of the palate need to be put in their proper place across the cleft so the child can learn to speak normally. The medical care for a child with a cleft requires a complex, lengthy treatment plan lasting until adulthood. The medical care for a child with a cleft requires a complex, lengthy treatment plan lasting until adulthood.

Interesting facts 1.Unilateral clefts are nine times as common as bilateral clefts, and occur twice as often on the left side than the right. 2.Males are more likely to get cleft lip and palate, and females are more likely to get cleft palate alone. 3.The most common syndrome linked with cleft palate is velocardiofacial syndrome.

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