Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 17 September 2022

Cleft lip and cleft palate, commonly called “orofacial clefts”, are birth defects that happen when a baby’s lip or mouth does not form properly during pregnancy. The lip forms between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy. As a baby develops during pregnancy, body tissue and special cells from each side of the head grow toward the center of the face and join together to make the face. This joining of tissue forms the facial features, like the lips and mouth. Children and adolescents with orofacial clefts were reported to have a decreased overall oral health-related quality of life and functional and social-emotional well-being. With treatment, most children with orofacial clefts can still live normal and healthy life.

A cleft lip results if the tissue that forms the lip does not join completely before birth. This results in an opening in the upper lip. The lip’s opening can be a small slit or it can be a large opening that goes through the lip into the nose. A cleft lip can be on one or both sides of the lip or in the middle of the lip, which occurs very rarely. Children with a cleft lip also can have a cleft palate. On the other hand, cleft palate happens if the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth does not join together completely during pregnancy. For some babies, both the front and back parts of the palate are open. For other babies, only part of the palate is open. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some factors that may increase the chance of having a baby with an orofacial cleft include smoking, diabetes, and the use of certain medicines to treat epilepsy like topiramate or valproic acid.

The services and treatment for children with orofacial clefts may vary. It will depend on the severity of the cleft; the child’s age and needs; the presence of associated syndromes or other birth defects, or both. The goals of the treatment for cleft lip and cleft palate are to improve the child’s ability to eat, speak and hear normally and to achieve a normal appearance. One way to achieve this is by surgery. Surgeries can restore normal function and achieve a more normal appearance with minimal scarring. Surgery to repair a cleft lip usually occurs in the first few months of life and is recommended within the first 12 months of life. Surgery to repair a cleft palate is recommended within the first 18 months of life or earlier if possible. Children born with orofacial clefts might need other types of treatments and services, such as special dental or orthodontic care or speech therapy. Children with orofacial cleft usually have low self-esteem. Their parents or guardians may also experience reactions such as sadness, anxiety, and worry. Also, feeding challenges were experienced. So, it’s very important to give them supportive care during those hard times.

ZDN DMO II Rowence F. Zorilla, RND

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