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Home  Health Focus Articles Family Health Clefts Most Frequent Birth Defect—But Treatable
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Clefts Most Frequent Birth Defect—But Treatable |
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Wednesday, 01 March 2006 |
Cleft lip and palate now comprise the most common birth defects in the United States, according to a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in January. Fortunately, there are literally thousands of professionals throughout the US with the expertise to care for patients with these disorders—many of them right in our area.
“The Center for Craniofacial Disorders at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the leading centers in the country for treating cleft lip and palate,” says John Riski, PhD, Director of Speech Pathology at the Center for Craniofacial Disorders at Children’s. “We combine cutting edge technology with a remarkable staff.”
A cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of the lip, often including the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the two sides of the palate did not fuse as the unborn baby was developing. These birth defects occur very early in pregnancy and most of them appear to be due to a combination of genetics and environmental influences.
Riski explains that a child born with a cleft may be faced with multiple and complex problems including, but not limited to, early feeding and nutritional problems that can lead to difficulties in growth and development; middle ear infections; hearing loss; deviations in speech and resonance; dento-facial and orthodontic abnormalities; and possible psychosocial adjustment problems.
“The child frequently requires several different types of services, such as surgery, dental/orthodontic care and speech therapy—all of which need to be provided in a synchronized manner over a period of years. This coordinated care is provided by interdisciplinary cleft palate/craniofacial teams like our team at Children’s,” Riski says.
For more information, visit the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta web site, w, or the ACPA website, w. A related organization, The Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF), w, focuses on research as well as information and services to individuals affected by facial birth defects. |
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