Cleft Palate
This chapter reviews background information about the incidence, risk factors, family history, sex ratio, genetics, recurrence risk, and epidemiology of isolated and syndromic cleft palate. Microforms of cleft palate including bifid uvula, submucous cleft palate, and nasal regurgitation are described. The discussion on the differential diagnosis of cleft palate summarizes its common causes, including teratogenic agents (alcohol, maternal diabetes, valproic acid), chromosome anomalies, and Mendelian disorders associated with malformations in other organ systems. The chapter provides recommendations for evaluation and management. A clinical case presentation features an infant with micrognathia, a cleft of the soft palate, and a retropositioned tongue and respiratory distress due to Pierre–Robin sequence.