Cleft palate
What is a cleft palate?
A cleft lip and or palate occur early on in pregnancy, when the structures of the face and the roof of the mouth do not join together properly leaving a cleft or opening. It occurs in one in 700 births and is usually evident on a pre-natal scan or at birth. Surgery is generally carried out early on with excellent outcomes with most children having normal speech.
Some children with a cleft palate may have difficulties with speech, hearing and early feeding in infancy. With the appropriate intervention those that do have some difficulties with speech usually make good progress.
Sometimes a cleft palate may co-occur with other conditions, or be part of another genetic syndrome, although many children with cleft palate do not have other difficulties.
Some children with a cleft palate may have difficulties with speech, hearing and early feeding in infancy. With the appropriate intervention those that do have some difficulties with speech usually make good progress.
Sometimes a cleft palate may co-occur with other conditions, or be part of another genetic syndrome, although many children with cleft palate do not have other difficulties.
Submucous cleft palate
A submucous cleft palate is where the cleft is hidden in the lining of the roof of the mouth and may not be identified until later when speech develops and parents notice that a child has some difficulties with speech. A child may present with nasal speech and/ or difficulties with the production of certain sounds. There may have been a history of feeding difficulties and sometimes the unpleasant experience as an infant of small amounts of milk or soft foods returning down the nose. If you are concerned that your child may have any of the above symptoms it is advisable to seek the advice of a specialist speech and language therapist.
For further information on cleft palate please refer to our resources section.
For further information on cleft palate please refer to our resources section.
Contact us
Please contact us to find out more about how speech and language therapy can help children with cleft palate.
