MyNemours Sign-InCleft lip and cleft palate are the most common craniofacial disorders found in newborns. “Craniofacial” means the head or face. A cleft lip is an opening in the lip. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth. 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.
Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Disorders
Help for Kids With Face, Head, Jaw or Mouth Defects
Cleft & Craniofacial Conditions We Treat
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
Cleft & Craniofacial Services We Offer
Most children can have surgery to repair a cleft lip, cleft palate or other craniofacial problem within their first 12-18 months 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.
Why Choose Us for Cleft & Craniofacial Care
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.
We offer complete cleft lip and palate, craniofacial and maxillofacial care at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children (Wilmington, Del.) and select satellite Nemours duPont Pediatrics locations. After your first appointment, our large team will meet as a group and agree on a personalized treatment plan for your child.
- accredited by the Commission on Approval of Teams for the American Cleft Palate — Craniofacial Association and Cleft Palate Foundation
- advanced, fully equipped surgical care and a highly trained pediatric plastic surgery team
- Nemours Partners for Perinatal Management Program, working with expectant parents and their doctors to help diagnose babies’ conditions during pregnancy and develop a plan of care for after they’re born
- advanced practice nurse (APN) serving as your child’s care coordinator
- access to more than 30 other medical specialties if your child needs additional care
- academic ties with Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and Christiana Care Health System
- Ronald McDonald House of Delaware right across from our main hospital campus, for an affordable home away from home during long hospital stays
We offer complete cleft lip and palate, craniofacial and maxillofacial care at Nemours Children’s Hospital (Orlando), as well as surgery consultations and follow-up care at select Nemours Children’s Specialty Care locations. Our Facial Anomalies & Skull Base Program is taking a critical role in caring for children with craniofacial disorders — offering leading-edge treatment and surgical procedures.
- home to one of the foremost cleft and craniofacial anomaly programs in the area
- coordination with our Nemours Center for Fetal Care (for babies still in the womb with possible cleft lip or cleft palate)
- access to more than 30 other medical specialties if your child needs additional care
- academic ties with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine
- Ronald McDonald House on campus, for an affordable home away from home during long hospital stays
We offer complete cleft lip and palate, craniofacial and maxillofacial care at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville and select satellite locations.
- surgeries performed at our neighbor and collaborating hospital Wolfson Children’s Hospital, with follow-ups after surgery in the hospital and at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville
- academic and clinical ties with the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville and Mayo Clinic Florida
- Ronald McDonald House across the street, for an affordable home away from home during long hospital stays
Patient Stories
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.
Research & Clinical Trials
At Nemours, we’re actively researching new approaches for childhood disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
KidsHealth Library
Learn more about your child’s medical condition from the experts at Nemours’ KidsHealth.