July is National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month
Cleft and craniofacial conditions affect thousands of infants, children, teens and adults in the United States each year. Some are born with congenital anomalies like cleft lip and palate, others with more complex, life-threatening craniofacial conditions. Some are burned; others are injured in accidents and animal attacks, or diagnosed with various oral/head/neck and skin diseases.
A cleft lip is a birth defect in which the parts of the face that form the upper lip remain split, instead of sealing together before birth. Similar splits can occur in the roof of the mouth or palate. Both can present a variety of problems, including difficulty eating, speech difficulties, ear infections and misaligned teeth.
In addition, it is possible to correct both cleft lip and palate through surgery, which is usually performed between the ages of 3 to 6 months. Depending on the severity of the defect, more than one surgery may be necessary.
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