This Is called a complete cleft palate. Because the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for the child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both cleft lip and palate. Cause of Cleft Lip and Palate Cleft lip and palate are congenital or birth detects which occur very early in pregnancy. The majority of clefts appear to be due to a combination of genes and environmental factors. The risks of recurrence of a cleft condition are dependent upon many factors which include the number of affected persons in the family, the closeness of affected relatives, the race and sex of all affected persons, and the severity of the clefts.
Children born with a cleft frequently require a number of different types of services.
Publications from the Cleft Palate Foundation. Write the Cleft Palate Foundation to receive additional information. The First four Years, 1989. Feeding an Infant with a Cleft, 1992. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal .