Physician: Education: Descriptions of Disorders

Cleft lip with or without cleft palate occurs approximately 1 in 1000 births in the Caucasian population. There is a significant racial difference in frequency, however, with Native Americans and Asians affected more frequently, and African Americans affected less frequently than the white population. Boys are more often affected than girls, and the cleft is much more commonly one sided (80%) than bilateral (20%).

The diagnosis of a cleft lip is a clinical one, made on physical exam.

Clefting of the lip, with or without clefting of the palate, is repaired surgically. Treatment of the child who has the condition is best done in a multidisciplinary fashion, to address the many needs related to the deformity. Teams of specialists are available to assess these patients, and often include plastic surgeons, dentists, orthodontists, geneticists, speech pathologists, audiologists, and ear, nose, and throat specialists (otolaryngologists).

American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Wide Smiles
Prescription Parents
OMIM 119530
OMIM 225000
PVRLI 1 gene
OMIM 600644
Oral-Facial-Digital Syndrome Type I

Chapman KL, Graham KT, Gooch J, Visconti C.
Conversational skills of preschool and school-age children with cleft lip and palate.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J 35(6):503-16, Nov 1998. abstract

Paul T, Brandt RS.
Oral and dental health status of children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J 35:(4):329-32, July 1998. abstract

Skinner J, Arvedson JC, Jones G, Spinner C, Rockwo.
Post-operative feeding strategies for infants with cleft lip.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 10:42(2):169-78, Dec 1997 . abstract

Turner SR, Rumsey R, Sandy JR.
Psychological aspects of cleft lip and palate.
Eur J Orthod 20(4):407-15, Aug 1998. abstract

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