Understanding cleft lip and palate. 2: The first five years.

The second in a series on cleft lip and palate, this article outlines the diagnosis of these congenital anomalies, the problems that a child with a cleft lip and/or palate and their family may encounter in the first five years of life, and the multidisciplinary care needed. The input of individual members of the cleft team is described, including nurse specialists, speech and language therapists, paediatric dentists, ear, nose and throat surgeons, and audiologists.

Understanding cleft lip and palate. 3: feeding the baby.

The third paper in this series on cleft lip and palate gives an overview of feeding a baby with a cleft lip and/or palate. It includes a description of the feeding assessment that all babies receive from the Cleft Specialist Nurse, the different methods of feeding that are likely to succeed with each cleft type, and other associated care and interventions.

Understanding cleft lip and palate. 1: an overview.

Cleft lip and/or cleft palate affects about 1:700 babies born in the UK and may occur as a single anomaly or in association with other congenital abnormalities as part of a syndrome. This article, the first in a series, provides a brief overview of the different types of cleft lip and palate and describes the organisation of regional cleft services in England and Wales.