Cleft lip: what it is, causes and treatment

Cleft lip, also called cleft lip, is a fetal malformation in which the baby is born with a division in the upper lip that can extend to the nose, which can happen due to genetic and environmental factors, such as consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy, nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy or use of some medications in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Cleft lip can be identified during pregnancy, through ultrasound examination, however it is more common to be diagnosed soon after the birth of the baby, and in some cases, the presence of an opening in the roof of the baby can also be verified. mouth, the cleft palate, this situation being known as cleft lip and palate. Learn more about cleft palate.

Since the presence of a cleft lip can cause difficulty for the baby to feed, it is recommended that a bottle with a special nipple be used until the baby turns 3 months old, which is the recommended age for surgery to be performed to join the lip. lip.

Causes of cleft lip

Cleft lip is a congenital malformation, that is, related to changes in the baby’s development during pregnancy. In the case of cleft lip, it occurs due to the non-closure of the embryonic tissues responsible for giving rise to the lip, which happens between the 4th and 12th week of gestation, resulting in cleft lip, which can be unilateral or bilateral and is accompanied, in some cases, by opening the roof of the mouth.

This situation is influenced by genetics, so a family history of cleft lip can increase the chance of a baby being born with this change. Furthermore, some factors appear to increase the risk of cleft lip, such as smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy, nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy and the use of anticonvulsant medication for acne, arthritis or psoriasis in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

How the diagnosis is made

The diagnosis of cleft lip can be made during pregnancy by performing an ultrasound exam, in which the doctor can observe the presence of changes in the baby’s development. However, it is more common for the diagnosis to be made after birth, checking for the presence of a cleft in the upper lip, which may be present on just one side or both, and which may extend to the nose.

After birth, in addition to checking the lips, the doctor usually looks at the roof of the mouth to check whether there is also a cleft in the roof of the mouth. Thus, after identifying the cleft lip or palate, it is possible to begin the necessary care to prevent changes in the baby’s eating and speech, as well as compromising the birth of teeth.

Cleft lip treatment

The treatment of cleft lip aims to close the cleft lip and thus promote the baby’s feeding, in addition to reducing the risk of changes in speech and teething. Therefore, surgery to correct the lip is recommended, which should be done between 3 and 6 months of age, as long as the baby is in excellent health.

This procedure is considered simple, but it is quite delicate and, therefore, must be carried out under general anesthesia to ensure that the baby does not move too much. Understand how cleft lip surgery is performed.

After recovering from surgery, it is important that the child is monitored by the dentist, in addition to the pediatrician, to ensure that the teeth are coming in as expected. Furthermore, in some cases, speech therapy sessions may also be recommended to stimulate speech.