One in 7 babies has a craniofacial cleft

Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital disabilities that occur when a baby’s lip or mouth do not form correctly during pregnancy. They’re right up on the list of most common congenital disabilities right under heart defects and above Down syndrome and spina bifida.

Around one in 700 babies will be born with what’s called a craniofacial cleft, and July is the month to bring awareness to this condition that can affect any child. Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. The baby may have only a cleft lip, only a cleft palate, or both.

“The lip forms between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy. As a baby develops body tissue and special cells from each side of the head grow toward the center of the face and join together to make the face,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. “This joining of tissue forms the facial features, like the lips and mouth. A cleft lip happens if the tissue that makes up the lip does not join completely before birth.”

Around the sixth and ninth weeks of pregnancy, the palate forms. A cleft palate happens if the tissue doesn’t join together. For some babies, both the front and back parts of the palate are open; for others, only one element is open.

A craniofacial cleft is often discovered during an ultrasound of the fetus, but if not, it is typically very evident at birth. Surgery or, in some cases, several surgeries can correct the problem, which, if untreated, could cause difficulties in eating, swallowing, dental and speech problems, and specific issues with self-esteem and social interactions.

Actor Stacy Keach has been outspoken about congenital disabilities and, more specifically, those regarding clefts. He has championed insurance companies to cover surgeries and not classify them as cosmetic.

“I was born with a cleft lip and a partial cleft palate. I had four surgeries as a child: shortly after birth, at six months, then at a year and a half, and finally, at four years of age,” he said in an interview for the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. “The most challenging aspect of my young life was dealing with kids who teased me. This strengthened my resolve to succeed in sports, in academics, and as a young performer.”

Keach isn’t the only celebrity with a cleft defect. Among several others are Joaquin Phoenix, Jesse Jackson, Payton Manning, Cheech Marin, Tom Brokaw, and Tutankhamun.

“Re- searchers believe that most cases of cleft lip and cleft palate are caused by an interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In many babies, a definite cause isn’t discovered,” Mayo Clinic explains.

“The mother or the father can pass on genes that cause clefting, either alone or as part of a genetic syndrome that includes a cleft lip or cleft palate as one of its signs. In some cases, babies inherit a gene that makes them more likely to develop a cleft, and then an environmental trigger causes the cleft to occur.”

Other triggers that increase the likelihood of cleft lip and palate are exposure to certain substances during pregnancy, having diabetes, or being obese during pregnancy.

“Cleft lip and cleft palate may be more likely to occur in pregnant women who smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or take certain medications,” Mayo says.

Although most cases of cleft lip and cleft palate are unpreventable, it’s best to be proactive. If you have a cleft family history, you might consider determining your risk by getting genetic counseling. Also, talk to your healthcare provider about taking prenatal vitamins and don’t smoke, vape or drink alcohol.

Keach advises those who have craniofacial clefts to use their talents to offset any negativity about their looks or speech impediments. “Let your ‘special circumstances’ become a motor to achieve greatness in whatever you choose to pursue.”

Kathy Hubbard is a member of Bonner General Health Foundation Advisory Council. She can be reached at kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.