Question: What is (are) Laryngeal cleft ?
Answer: A laryngeal cleft is a rare abnormality of the separation between the larynx, or voice box, and the esophagus. Normally, when the larynx develops, it is completely separate from the esophagus so swallowed foods go directly into the stomach. When a laryngeal cleft occurs, there is an opening between the larynx and the esophagus so food and liquid can pass through the larynx into the lungs. There are several different types of laryngeal clefts (Types I through IV), classified based on the extent of the clefting.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the symptoms of Laryngeal cleft ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Laryngeal cleft? The symptoms of laryngeal clefts range from mild stridor to significant difficulties with breathing and swallowing. Severity of symptoms depends on the severity of the cleft. Swallowing problems, a husky cry and feeding difficulties are common. Feeding often causes stridor, coughing, choking, gagging, cyanosis, regurgitation, and frequent respiratory infections. Many individuals with laryngeal clefts develop chronic lung disease. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Laryngeal cleft. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Laryngomalacia 90% Abnormality of the voice - Aspiration - Cyanosis - Laryngeal stridor - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
Source: GARD

Question: What causes Laryngeal cleft ?
Answer: What causes laryngeal cleft? During fetal development, the trachea and esophagus begin as one tube. They later separate when a wall of tissue known as the tracheoesophageal septum forms, dividing the original tube into the trachea and esophagus. If the tracheoesophageal septum fails to form, the trachea and esophagus may remain open to each other or abnormally shaped, causing abnormalities such as a laryngeal cleft, tracheoesophageal fistula, or esophageal atresia. Exactly why these abnormalities occur is unknown.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the treatments for Laryngeal cleft ?
Answer: How might laryngeal cleft be treated? Medical and feeding therapies are often the first treatments for patients with laryngeal cleft (particularly type I and type II).[4126] Prevention of gastroesophageal reflux is also important in all types of clefts. Type I clefts often correct themselves over time with growth. During infancy, nursing in the upright position or thickening of formula may be necessary. If these treatments are not enough, surgery may be recommended. Different surgical approaches have been proposed for the management of laryngeal cleft. The timing and approach of surgery may differ depending upon the severity of symptoms, associated abnormalities, and type of cleft.
Source: GARD