A cleft lip and palate is, in short, a structural deformity of the mouth. This deformity is best defined in pictures:
Unilateral Cleft Lip: Frontal View
Bilateral Cleft Lip: Frontal View
(also lip?)
Body part/system affected.
Obviously, the lips and palate are the parts most affected by this disorder. Due to complications, the ears, nose, throat, and jaw may also be affected. Also, many children with a cleft palate experience relatively severe orthodontic complications.
Short/long term effects of the disease.
visual cleft
possible hearing loss
varying amounts of nasal distortion
recurrent ear infections
failure to gain weight
nasal regurgitation during bottle feeding
Symptoms/signs/statistics.
Really, it is redundant to ask for the "symtoms" or "signs" of a cleft lip and/or palate, as it is a clear visual deformity, which is quite easily diagnosed. Here are some statistics:
Clefting occurs most commonly among Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans, then among caucasians, and least often among those of African ethnicity.
1 in 700 Americans are are born with a cleft.
50% of children with a cleft palate will need ongoing speech therapy.
5% of all cleft conditions are syndrome related.
Clefting is the fourth most common major birth defect in the United States.
