Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some of these conditions, like cleft lip and palate, are among the most common birth defects. Others are very rare. At Nemours, our expert cleft and craniofacial teams can provide advanced, life-changing care. Our goal is to help your child look and function as normally as possible — and feel good about themselves as they grow.

Learn More About Cleft Lip and Palate

We treat children with craniofacial and maxillofacial anomalies (deformities or defects of the face, head, jaw or mouth). That includes:

• cleft lip and/or palate
• velopharyngeal dysfunction (abnormal function of the palate, which results in "nasally" speech)
• 22q.11.2 deletion syndrome, also called “diGeorge syndrome” or “velocardiofacial syndrome” (caused by the deletion of a small piece of chromosome that can affect many parts of the body including the face, heart and bones)
• craniosynostosis (when bones of the skull fuse together before the brain has stopped growing) and other forms of complex craniosynostosis (Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome and Pfieffer syndrome)
• craniofacial microsomia (range of abnormalities that affect the development of the skull and face before birth); related conditions include microtia (a deformity of the ear that may affect hearing) and Goldenhar syndrome (abnormalities of the head and bones of the spine, which can include differences of the eyes, ears, facial bones and mouth)
• Pierre Robin sequence (a condition often characterized by an abnormally small lower jaw formation that causes the tongue to fall back into the throat, which can result in airway obstruction)
• Treacher-Collins syndrome (causes problems with the structure of the face)
• tumors of the head, face and jaws
• other craniofacial differences

Most children can have surgery to repair a cleft lip, cleft palate or other craniofacial problem within their first year of life. At Nemours, our large cleft and craniofacial teams offer complete evaluation, treatment and support services to children with facial clefts and craniofacial disorders. Working together to give your child complete, compassionate care, your care team may include a:

• plastic surgeon
• oral and maxillofacial surgeon
• geneticist and genetic counselor (as cleft lip and palate can be part of a genetic condition)
• general pediatrician
• care coordinator
• neurosurgeon
• otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat/ENT)
• orthodontist
• dentist
• ophthalmologist
• speech-language pathologist
• feeding therapist
• audiologist
• psychologist
• social worker

We’ll work together throughout your child’s care to make sure you understand what to expect at every step.

At Nemours, we offer the latest advances in craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery, including minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted procedures when appropriate. These operations use smaller incisions, which means less scarring, less pain, less bleeding and a faster recovery for kids.

Children with a craniofacial condition often have to deal with social and/or emotional challenges too. We understand the impact this can have on your child’s confidence. That’s why a large part of our program is devoted to helping kids feel better about themselves. We’ll partner with you and your family, offering support and guidance throughout your child’s growth and development. We want to help your child feel better on the outside and the inside.

Regional Cleft & Craniofacial Highlights 

Services, programs, facilities and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.

Sometimes the best support and peace of mind comes from families who’ve been there. Meet some of the inspiring kids we’ve been honored to treat.

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