Clefts

Cleft Palate Only

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Signs and Symptoms

A cleft palate can either be an open and obvious gap in the roof of the mouth or be covered over by the lining or mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth, called a submucous cleft, which is not visible to the naked eye. A submucous cleft is characterized by a wide or split uvula (the small bell-shaped tissue that hangs down in the back of the throat), a small cleft or notch at the end of the hard palate and a thinning of the muscles in the palate that is covered by mucous membrane.

An infant with cleft palate usually needs to be bottle-fed (either breast milk or formula) using special nipples.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007