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Oral Clefting
The most common malformations of the head and neck region are clefts
of the lip and palate which occur once in every 500 to 1,000 births.
Clefts occur in infants of all races. A cleft is due to the failure
of fusion of parts of the lip or roof of the mouth during the early
months of development of the unborn child.
The exact cause of lip and palatal clefting is not known, but experts
agree that it is due to both genetic and environmental factors.
The majority of children with oral clefting are the first in the
family to have the condition and have no other abnormalities, but
children born with clefts should be carefully assessed by a craniofacial
team in order to detect other abnormalities that can be associated
with clefting. Syndromes are conditions with more than one abnormality;
there are more than 250 syndromes that include cleft lip or palate
as a feature.
Once a complete assessment of the child with cleft has been performed
by a multidisciplinary team of experts, a plan for treatment can
be outlined. Surgical intervention is necessary to align the parts
and join them. The objective in repairing the lip is to achieve
normal form and function. The objective of the cleft palate surgery
is to restore normal eating and drinking function and to enhance
the development of normal speech.
How to reach us
To schedule an appointment or obtain further information about
the above-listed disorders — including educational materials,
opportunities to participate in ongoing research, and treatment
options — call the Johns Hopkins Center
for Craniofacial Development and Disorders at (410) 955-4160.
Or visit our Center's Web Site at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/craniofacial.
Last Updated:
6/10/02
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