Cleft lip and palate is a common congenital abnormality that occurs in approximately one in 800 newborns. A cleft lip is an opening or split in the upper lip and a cleft palate is a separation in the roof of the mouth. A child may experience complications due to cleft lip and palate, including feeding trouble, ear infections and hearing loss, speech and language delay and dental problems. Luckily, both conditions can be treated with surgery.
Our Comprehensive Approach to Treating Cleft Lips and Palates
Babies born with cleft lip and/or palate are best treated by a team of doctors and specialists called a cleft or craniofacial team.
Your child’s care may include providers in the areas of plastic surgery, otolaryngology, oral surgery, genetics, orthodontics, speech pathology and others, and care continues to early adulthood.
Surgical management typically follows specified timelines in order to minimize the number of surgeries involved, and to occur in harmony with the child’s facial development.
At Nebraska Medicine, our specialists are able to offer comprehensive management of cleft lip and palate and other related conditions from start to finish.
We are dedicated to affording you with peace of mind, and our highly-trained specialists are here to answer any questions you may have about the care of your child.