A cleft palate is a facial defect in babies that occurs when they are developing inside the womb. A baby’s facial features develop in the first 3 months. Their lips form first, followed by the mouth and palate. Clefts occur if the tissues and cells don’t form in the right way.
The exact cause of a cleft palate is unknown. It can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of the common reasons for a cleft palate during pregnancy include:
- Mothers coming in contact with certain environmental factors such as certain pesticides, heavy metals, or toxic chemicals
- Mothers consuming alcohol or doing drugs
- Certain medications that mothers take during pregnancy:
- Mothers getting exposed to certain viruses (rubella, chickenpox, measles, and toxoplasmosis) during pregnancy
- Mothers having diabetes before pregnancy
- Mother not getting enough folic acid or other nutrients
- Family history of a cleft lip or palate
- Mothers who smoke
What is a cleft palate?
A cleft palate is a birth defect that causes an opening or fault in the roof of the mouth (palate). The word cleft means split or break. The palate is usually formed between the sixth and ninth week of pregnancy. However, in babies with a cleft palate, the tissue that forms the palate doesn’t fuse together during pregnancy. In some babies, a cleft palate can cause
- Opening of front and back parts of the palate.
- Opening of part of the palate.
About 1 or 2 in 1,000 babies are born with a cleft palate in the United States every year.
What are the symptoms of a cleft palate?
A cleft palate is immediately visible after birth. It may
- Appear as a split in the palate that affects one or both sides of the face.
- Be seen along with a defect in the lips along with the palate.
It may also cause
- Difficulty in feeding.
- Difficulty in swallowing liquids.
- Nasal cry.
- Chronic ear infections, ear pain, and ear discharge.
What is the treatment for a cleft palate?
The treatment for a cleft palate depends on the type of cleft and the overall health of the child. Treatment should start as early as possible to prevent future problems with the child’s development.
Most babies who have a cleft palate will need some type of surgery. A cleft palate should be repaired before the baby is 18 months old. Additional surgeries may be needed when the child grows up.
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Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip
Cleft palate and cleft lip are facial and oral defects that occur early in pregnancy. A cleft lip is a split of the two sides of the upper lip, and a cleft palate is a split in the roof of the mouth. Cleft lip the fourth most common birth defect in the U.S. Repair of a cleft palate or cleft lip may require multiple surgeries.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
folic acid
Folic acid, folate, vitamin B9 is used for the treatment of folate deficiency and its complications, and for the treatment of folic acid deficiency associated with liver disease, kidney dialysis, ulcerative colitis, and alcoholism. Folic acid supplements also are taken by women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant to prevent birth defects (neural tube defects such as spina bifida) and miscarriage. Rare cases of allergic or anaphylactoid reactions have occurred with taking folic acid. Consult your doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.
How many surgeries does it take to fix a cleft palate?
If a child has a cleft lip and palate, treatment will be divided into several surgeries. The first surgery corrects the cleft lip, whereas the second surgery repairs the cleft palate. Other surgeries may be required as well, depending on the severity of the condition.magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate is a salt of magnesium, a naturally occurring mineral, used to prevent and treat convulsions (seizures) from preeclampsia and eclampsia (toxemia) in pregnant women. Magnesium sulfate is also used to treat certain heart rhythm disorders, magnesium deficiency, and acute kidney inflammation (nephritis) in children. Side effects include flushing, increased sweating, low blood pressure (hypotension), depressed/poor reflexes, flaccid paralysis, low core body temperature (hypothermia), circulatory collapse, depressed cardiac function, central nervous system (CNS) depression, respiratory paralysis, excess fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), extreme drowsiness, and others.ondansetron
Ondansetron is an antiemetic medication prescribed to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatments (chemotherapy and radiation, and anesthetic medications used during surgeries). It is also used to treat extreme and persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, and itching caused by opioid medications and certain specific conditions. Common side effects of ondansetron include headache, feeling unwell (malaise), fatigue, constipation, low tissue oxygen levels (hypoxia), drowsiness, dizziness, and gynecological disorder. Consult your doctor before taking ondansetron if pregnant or breastfeeding.Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are recommended by most doctors prior to getting pregnant, throughout your pregnancy, and after you have your baby. The developing embryo and fetus need extra vitamins for healthy development. Prenatal vitamins contain iron, calcium and vitamin D, folic acid (to prevent birth defects), zinc, iodine, and vitamin A. Some prenatal multivitamins also contain other minerals and supplements like vitamin B 12 and omega-3 fatty acids.
What Are the 3 Prenatal Tests?
Prenatal tests are medical procedures performed during pregnancy to assess the health and development of the fetus and to help identify any potential problems or abnormalities. The three most common prenatal tests include ultrasound, amniocentesis, and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Other prenatal tests include pregnancy test, first trimester screening, second trimester screening, noninvasive prenatal testing, fetal ultrasound, genetic counseling, biophysical profile, Group B streptococcus (GBS) test, glucose tolerance test, anomaly scan, and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test.