In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Cleft lip is one of the most common malformations that occurs during human prenatal development. This defect is often referred to as a hare lip. A cleft lip occurs because the structures that make up the lip are not joined together. What are the causes of the defect and what does it consist of?
A cleft lip is a type of craniofacial defect. It appears at the stage of human fetal development. Split weight occurs in one to two newborns out of 1000 births. The exact reasons for the development of this defect are not fully known.
Cleft lip – characteristics
A cleft lip is a developmental defect that appears in the prenatal period of human life. It occurs when the tissues of the upper lip do not heal properly and a fissure forms. A cleft lip occurs around 4-6 weeks of pregnancy. The defect is also often accompanied by a cleft palate. Doctors distinguish:
- unilateral partial cleft lip;
- total unilateral cleft lip;
- total bilateral cleft lip.
The different forms of cleft palate may appear independently of one another or may be associated with e.g. different forms of cleft palate. The more advanced the changes are, the more difficult they are to treat.
A cleft lip can be diagnosed with an ultrasound scan in the second trimester of pregnancy. However, diagnosis is made only by the pediatrician immediately after delivery, based on the appearance of the newborn’s face.
Cleft lip – causes
The cause of the development of a cleft lip is abnormal prenatal tissue fusion. However, the processes that trigger these disorders are not exactly known. Specialists speculate that genes influence the development of cleft lip, but various external factors are also important. Therefore, the following are also considered causes of cleft lip:
- folic acid deficiency;
- excesses, incl. vitamins A and E;
- malnutrition;
- food diseases during pregnancy;
- maternal infections during pregnancy, e.g. toxoplasmosis, rubella;
- drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy;
- maternal diseases, e.g. diabetes or circulatory disorders;
- exposure of the baby to ionizing radiation during pregnancy;
- taking acetylsalicylic acid.
Cleft lip – consequences
A cleft lip can cause a child’s adaptation problems. Problems arise more often when treatment is undertaken too late. A cleft lip makes it difficult to feed your baby, and with age, also learning to speak and the frequency of infections.
After treatment, there is a vertical scar between the upper lip and the nose. Effective treatment and speech therapy allow the child to quickly learn the correct pronunciation.
Cleft lip treatment
The treatment of cleft lip, like any complex defect, is multi-stage. Treatment requires not only surgical treatment, but also dental, orthodontic, speech therapy, ENT, psychological and phoniatric treatment.
The cleft lip surgery is usually performed in infancy, preferably around 6 months of age. It is determined by the toddler’s safety and anatomy. The left postoperative scar often has a negative impact on the child’s self-esteem and relations with peers, which is why the support of parents and a psychologist is so important.
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.