Cleft palate
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Cleft palate
Cleft palate is a birth defect in which the roof of the mouth (palate) does not develop normally during pregnancy, leaving an opening (cleft) that may go through to the nasal cavity. Until treated surgically, cleft palate can interfere with feeding, speech development, and hearing.
Cleft palate is usually noticed at birth during a newborn's first physical examination. The condition often occurs with cleft lip; sometimes problems associated with cleft palate also include deformities of the nasal septum or nasal cavity. The severity and type of cleft palate vary according to where the cleft occurs on the palate and whether all the layers of the palate are affected.
This defect forms early in fetal development when the upper jawbones and tissues do not completely join during fetal growth. It may be inherited or develop as a result of maternal environmental exposures during pregnancy, such as consumption of alcohol.
Surgery is used to correct cleft palate; complex problems usually require additional surgeries and treatment, such as speech therapy. Before the defect is repaired, special assistance may be required for feeding, such as using a special nipple on the baby's bottle.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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