Cleft Lip/Palate
Cleft Lip/Palate Services
Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common congenital anomalies, occurring when the lip or roof of the mouth does not fully close during fetal development. These conditions can affect feeding, speech development, hearing, and dental health, and often require coordinated multidisciplinary care throughout childhood.
Our surgeons provide surgical repair of cleft lip and cleft palate, as well as management of associated conditions including velopharyngeal insufficiency, chronic ear disease, and hearing loss. Children with cleft palate are at increased risk for middle ear effusions and may require ear tube placement.
Care is delivered in coordination with the cleft palate team, which may include plastic surgery, speech-language pathology, audiology, orthodontics, and other specialties. Our goal is to optimize each child's speech, hearing, and overall quality of life through staged surgical repair and ongoing multidisciplinary management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when the lip or roof of the mouth does not fully close during fetal development. They can occur separately or together and affect feeding, speech, hearing, and dental development.
Cleft lip repair is typically performed around 3 months of age, and cleft palate repair around 9 to 12 months. The exact timing depends on the child's overall health and the severity of the cleft. Some children require additional procedures as they grow.
Many children with cleft palate develop chronic middle ear fluid due to eustachian tube dysfunction and may benefit from ear tube placement. Your pediatric ENT will monitor your child's ears and hearing and recommend tubes when appropriate.
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is a condition in which the soft palate does not fully close against the back of the throat during speech, resulting in nasal-sounding speech. It can occur after cleft palate repair and may require speech therapy or additional surgery.
Call (509) 624-2326 to schedule an appointment with one of our otolaryngologists for evaluation and management of cleft lip, cleft palate, or associated conditions.