The Analysis of the Cleft Lip - Essay Example

?Rachelle Flowers Connaughton Oral Histology May 28, Cleft Palate/Cleft Lip A cleft lip or a cleft palate is a facial deformity. This condition is one of the most common birth anomalies in the world. It affects around one out of every seven hundred to eight hundred births. A cleft lip and cleft palate, in most cases, happen during prenatal development. In few other cases, it may be caused due to environmental aspects such as deficiencies in some important vitamin and effects of intake of certain medicine. In many instances, a mother's contact with some chemicals triggers a cleft illness. Lacking some vitamins and minerals may upsurge a child's possibility of having a cleft lip or palate. Lastly, smoking, drug intake, and alcohol, while pregnant, significantly augment the presence of birth defects in babies. “Women who smoke during pregnancy and carry a fetus whose DNA lacks both copies of a gene involved in detoxifying cigarette smoke substantially increase their baby's chances of being born with a cleft lip and/or palate” (National Institutes of Health). A cleft lip is an irregularity in which the upper lip does not entirely close, forming a small gap. This happens because of the fusion failure of the maxillary and the medial nasal processes. There are classifications of the different types of cleft lip. The gentlest form of cleft lip is a microform cleft. This is not as evident as the cleft can manifest itself as a tiny scar above the lip. Another type of cleft lip is known as a unilateral cleft lip. The word “unilateral,” by definition, means occurring or affecting only one side. By its name alone, a unilateral cleft lip occurs when the cleft is only on one side of the upper lip. Furthermore, a cleft lip can be subcategorized into two: a unilateral complete or unilateral incomplete. A unilateral complete cleft lip simply means the cleft extends from the lip all the way to the base of the nose. On the other hand, a unilateral incomplete cleft is a disfigurement that can appear in many forms. The difference, however, is that an incomplete cleft does not reach the base of the nose and the nostril is still intact. The third form of cleft lip includes the bilateral incomplete and bilateral complete cleft lip. A cleft lip that is bilateral affects both sides of the lip. However, one side of the lip can be a complete deformity and the other side can be an incomplete one. A cleft palate is also a type of malformation. “A cleft lip is different from a cleft palate. A cleft lip affects the upper lip, whereas a cleft palate is a gap in the roof of the mouth” (Odunze). A cleft palate happens when the main palate and the two lateral palatine processes are not able to fuse in the middle. Cleft palates also differ in size. Due to the fact that the palate and the lips develop independently from one another, it is possible for one to have only a cleft lip, only a cleft palate, or sometimes, both. All of these irregularities can result in difficulties with functionality and even though it may not be life threatening, having it can cause some negative costs. Among the first problems that those born with a cleft lip or palate experience is difficulty in eating. Breastfeeding proves to be difficult as newborns will have a difficulty in sucking. Many who have a cleft-lipped newborn use a special kind of bottle to be able to help the baby drink milk safely and properly. Children born with a cleft lip or palate may perhaps also experience recurrent infections in the ears. This is because the air and fluid are not able to pass normally through the tubes that link the throat’s back with the middle ear. This means that bacteria, liquid and other germs can become caught behind the eardrums and result in contamination. Some with cleft lips or palates choose to undergo an operation to place tubes in their ears to aid proper drainage of fluid. In a couple of situations, some who suffer from a cleft lip or palate may undergo loss of hearing because of repeated infections and problem behind their eardrums. In addition to ear problems, dental complications, namely tooth cavities and missing or deformed teeth, are very common as well. One of the most challenging obstructions that people with cleft palates and lips experience is difficulty in speech. Speaking articulately can be extremely difficult. There are times when the soft palate does not move properly enough to stop air from escaping out through the nose while speaking. This can make their voice sound like they are using their nose to speak. If the teeth are not lined up correctly, a person might not be able to pronounce some sounds. For the reason that cleft lip and palate are inherited and no one has control over this condition, it can appear unjust and unfair for those who have it, and also because appearance indeed becomes more of focus during adolescence and teenage years, many teenagers with a cleft lip and palate worry and fear about how other people might treat them or how the society will look at them, greatly affecting their emotional and social lives. Most teens with cleft lip and palate inevitably at some point have to cope up with teasing and bullying. For most, this can hurt their self-confidence. “Often older children drop out of school because of bullying about speech” (Howard and Lohmander 117). Nonetheless, most kids with this condition do not suffer from other physical or learning difficulties and impediments. For some, though, “cleft lip and palate can be associated with other problems, including feeding difficulties, middle ear fluid buildup and hearing loss, dental abnormalities, and speech difficulties” (“Cleft Lip and Palate”). There are many ways that doctors do to help minimize the appearance and decrease the problem suffered by people who have this condition. Since doctors can already be able to see cleft lip and palate once a baby is born, they can start to assess the baby immediately and begin discussing possible treatments and plans. Typically, a cleft palate team, a group of professionals, work with each other. At present, even as young as 9 to 18 month old babies can undergo surgery to close their mouth’s roof. However, those with a complete cleft lip and palate require numerous surgeries and operations to be able to completely fix their cleft. These are comprised of cleft lip and palate repair, and a bone graft. In certain cases, additional surgery is needed to be able to improve the speech of the person. Some teenagers and adults decide to go through plastic surgery to improve their appearance. Others, though, opt to attend speech therapy instead. Works Cited "Cleft Lip and Palate." Kids' Health. The Nemours Foundation, n.d. Web. 2 May 2012. . Howard, Sara, and Anette Lohmander. “Cleft Palate Speech: Assessment and Intervention.” Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print. National Institutes of Health (NIH). "Scientists Discover How Maternal Smoking Can Cause Cleft Lip and Palate, January 3, 2007 News Release - National Institutes of Health (NIH)." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 June 2012. . Odunze, Millicent. "What Is A Cleft Lip?" About.com: Plastic Surgery. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 2 June 2012. . Read More