A cleft palate is a hole in the roof of the mouth (the palate) that can involve the hard palate and/or the soft palate. It can be unilateral (one sided) or bilateral (two sided). It occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy when parts of the palate fail to completely fuse.

A cleft is an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. A cleft lip may be accompanied by an opening in the bones of the upper jaw and/or the upper gum. A cleft palate occurs when the two sides of a palate do not join together, resulting in an opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft lip and palate can occur on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral). A child can suffer from a cleft lip, a cleft palate or both.

We are studying cleft lip and palate because it is a common birth defect with a significant health care burden. Children require multiple surgeries to correct the lip, palate, and nose. The causes of cleft lip and palate are not known but genes and environmental factors are considered to be important. Identification of the causes may allow development of new treatments and/or identification of individuals who are at risk to have children with cleft lip and palate.

The purpose of this research study is to identify the genes and environmental factors causing isolated cleft lip and palate. We are collecting information about pregnancy specific exposures and obtaining blood samples from which DNA (genetic material) will be made. We will use the DNA to determine whether specific genes are associated with cleft lip and palate. We will also correlate whether specific types of exposures are linked to cleft lip and palate.

Surgery for cleft palate occurs between nine and twelve months of age. The goal of the surgery is to realign the muscles that are needed for speech and to close the hole in the roof of the mouth.

About one in 1,000 babies are born with cleft lip and/or palate. This is the fourth most common birth abnormality.

In some cases, cleft lips and palates can be detected from routine ultrasounds of the baby in the mother's womb. When this happens, we encourage the parents to come in and see us so we can discuss potential treatment for the baby. However, many cleft lips and palates are not detected until birth.

In the early weeks of development, long before a child is born, the right and left sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth normally grow together. Occasionally, however, in about one of every 800 babies, those sections don't quite meet. A child born with a separation in the upper lip is said to have a cleft lip. A similar birth defect in the roof of the mouth, or palate, is called a cleft palate.

The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association recommends that children with clefts be seen by an team of doctors and care providers to best plan care and treatment. Speech pathologist - evaluates and treats speech, language, voice, swallowing, fluency, and other related disorders. The first clinic visit usually happens in the first year, but not necessarily before surgery.

If your baby's cleft is narrow and limited to the soft palate, he or she should be able to use the front part of the hard palate to suckle the nipple.

In most cases, these babies are unable to breastfeed. This is because they do not have a separation between the nose and mouth, so they cannot create enough pressure to suck effectively from the breast. They usually feed successfully with bottles and teats specifically designed for babies with clefts.

You will have a follow-up appointment with the Plastic Surgeon between 6-12 weeks post surgery, depending on the surgeon's request. This will take place in the Cleft Palate Clinic or in the private rooms.

Children born with cleft palates are at risk of hearing problems; therefore it is important that hearing be assessed early and then at regular intervals throughout your child's hospital visits to the Cleft Palate Clinic.

Individuals born with cleft lip and palate, their parents, and other family members. We are particularly interested in families in which there is more than one family member with cleft lip and palate.

Permission to contact additional relatives may also be requested especially if there is a family history of cleft lip and palate. All information is kept strictly confidential. Participation is voluntary and you can withdraw from the study at any time. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas Health and Science Center - Houston. No. The questionnaire can be completed by telephone or mail, and the blood samples can be sent by mail.

To learn more about the cleft lip and palate study and how to take part in the search for the causes of cleft lip and palate, please contact: