Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital defects, or birth defects,
which occur
very early in pregnancy. The majority of clefts appear to be due to
a
combination of genetics and environmental factors. The risks of recurrence
of
a cleft condition are dependent upon many factors, including 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.
A child born with a cleft frequently requires several different types
of
services, e.g., surgery, dental/orthodontic care, and speech therapy,
all of
which need to be provided in a coordinated manner over a period of
years.
This coordinated care is provided by interdisciplinary cleft palate/craniofacial
teams comprised of professionals from a variety of health care disciplines
who work together on the child's total rehabilitation.