Cleft Lip & Palate

Treatments

Treatments for cleft lip and cleft palate and related problems include:

• Surgery. Treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate consists of surgical reconstruction that is completed in stages. Your child's cleft and craniofacial team pays close attention to any related speech, hearing, middle ear or dental concerns. Cleft lip is typically repaired between ages 3 months and 5 months. Cleft palate is generally repaired in the first year of life. Both surgeries usually require an overnight stay in the hospital. Based on your child’s individual treatment plan, he or she may require additional procedures, such as jaw reconstruction, throughout childhood and adolescence.
• Ear tube insertion. If your child has fluid buildup in the ear as a result of cleft palate, a surgeon can insert a tiny tube into the eardrum to drain fluids and help prevent infection. An ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon performs this minor procedure. Surgeons at Riley at IU Health often perform this procedure at the time of a scheduled cleft surgery to reduce the number of visits needed.
• Speech therapy. The palate is important for making normal speech sounds. Your child may have trouble making some sounds when he or she begins to talk. He or she should see a speech pathologist who is experienced with children who have cleft palates. Speech therapy is often recommended. It is also important to encourage your child to talk to you to help develop these skills at home.
• Feeding education. If cleft palate makes feeding difficult for your baby, use of special nipples and careful positioning of your baby may be helpful. A feeding specialist can give you proper guidance regarding your baby’s individual feeding needs, and a dietitian can assess your baby’s caloric needs and make recommendations for proper weight gain. To find out if your baby can suck, swallow and breathe safely, the doctor may order oxygen level tests and special swallowing tests that are done by a video X-ray during feeding.
• Dental care. It is crucial that all children with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate obtain regular checkups by a pediatric dentist, especially since a child with a cleft can have crowded or abnormally shaped teeth, making cleaning difficult. With proper dental care, children born with clefts can have healthy teeth. Dental specialists and surgeons often work together to create long-term treatment plans for children as they grow.
• Orthodontia. A cleft of the palate or gumline often affects the eruption and alignment of permanent teeth. An orthodontist experienced with children who have clefts can assist with straightening teeth, directing growth of the jaw with various appliances and preparing the teeth for any necessary jaw surgery.

Doctors at Riley at IU Health strive to make the treatment process more efficient for your child and family through a multidisciplinary approach. Once a week, the Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program makes available as many experts as possible—specialists in areas such as plastic surgery, oral surgery, otolaryngology, orthodontics, dentistry, speech pathology, audiology and developmental pediatrics. This reduces the number of times your family must travel to our facilities.

The Cleft & Craniofacial Anomalies Program is one of the largest and most experienced of its kind in the nation. In fact, the program cares for more children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate than any other hospital in Indiana. Our experts help set the national standard in cleft lip and palate care, providing comprehensive treatment to improve your child’s function and appearance.