ABSTRACT
An unrepaired cleft palate causes nasal emission and hypernasality. The majority of children with potential hypernasality and nasal emission are those born with a cleft palate that will have had it repaired between six and 12 months of age. A further group of children may be referred for their first appointment, up to the age of six, on account of late detection of hypernasality or nasal emission. Cleft lip and palate occurs in 1 in 600 live births. In cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, the inherited element is strong. Though the majority of babies with cleft lip and palate are not syndromic there are a number of described complex syndromes in association with isolated cleft palate, e.g. Velo-Cardio-Facial syndrome. As time goes by the detection of syndromes associated with isolated cleft palate is increasing to the extent that it is good practice to carry out chromosomal analysis on all babies born with isolated cleft palate.
