Cleft Lip and Palate: Causes and Number
What causes clefts?
Clefts happen early in pregnancy, when the face is forming. Something happens to stop the sides of the face from coming together completely. Sometimes clefts run in families. Some clefts happen when a child has other problems, like genetic disorders. Scientists have found that there are many possible causes for clefts. Researchers are trying to discover more about these causes.
Are many children born with clefts?
Cleft lip and/or palate make up the most common birth defect in the United States. One out of every 700 newborns in the USA is affected by cleft lip and/or palate. Information about how many children have speech sound disorders is available in the ASHA report, Communication Facts: Special Populations: Craniofacial Syndromes–2008 Edition.
See also:
Cleft Lip and Palate
Cleft Lip and Palate: Benefits of Speech-Language Pathology Services