How significant is the impact of congenital cleft lip and palate?
Disease description:
Someone in my family has cleft lip and palate. I've heard this condition can have significant effects—how serious is congenital cleft lip and palate?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xie Zixing
Congenital cleft lip and palate generally have significant impacts. After birth, affected individuals usually cannot perform normal physiological functions such as sucking, swallowing, and speaking. If a baby cannot suck properly, they are unable to eat normally. Congenital cleft lip and palate can impair a child's speech and facial appearance. Poor postnatal care may lead to pneumonia in children. Severe cleft lip and palate can result in unclear speech, difficulty eating, and markedly poor aesthetics, potentially causing serious psychological issues in patients, including inferiority complex, depression, and other emotional problems.
