Cleft lip and palate

What is a cleft lip or palate?

A cleft lip or palate develops during the early stages of pregnancy, when gaps in a baby's face and mouth structures don't close as they should. This causes problems with feeding and speech as the child develops.

How do we help children who have a cleft lip or palate?

The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network provides services for children with a cleft lip or palate in the form of:

• Surgery to close the cleft in the lip or palate
• Help with feeding new babies
• Ongoing support, such as hearing tests and speech pathology

Both The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children's Hospital provide specliaist cleft lip and palate services.