Cleft lip or cleft palate is a congenital defect of the lips, mouth, and/or roof of the mouth. Babies born with these deformities are often born to mothers in developing countries or to mothers who did not receive proper prenatal care. In a smaller percentage of cases, babies born with cleft lips and/or cleft palates are born to mothers who were substance abusers. However a baby attains this deformity, it is classified in one of four levels of severity, and there are different ways to address each level of deformity. The deformities absolutely have to be corrected if the baby is manage eating, drinking, and speaking and avoid infections of the sinuses and brain. 

Cleft Lip, Level One

In this instance, the cleft only affects the baby's lip, usually their upper lip. It is minor enough that there is little concern about the baby's eventual ability to speak and eat normally, but the baby cannot latch on to a nipple or drink from a bottle until the cleft lip is repaired. A skin graft and/or just stitching the cleft closed is the most common procedure for correcting the deformity at this level. 

Cleft Lip, Level Two

Level two cases of cleft lip may result in more than one cleft in the same lip, a cleft in both upper and lower lips, and even a cleft upper lip that involves one or both of the baby's nostrils. The nostrils may or may not even be present because of the severity of the cleft, making it very difficult for the baby to breathe properly. Not only is surgery needed to correct the lip clefts, but it is also necessary to create a facsimile of a nostril for the missing part of the nose or to close the cleft up into the nostril. More than one surgery may be needed over the next year or two of the baby's life to correct these issues. 

Cleft Lip and Palate, Level Three

A cleft lip that is severe enough to involve some part of the soft and maybe even a small part of the hard palate (the soft and hard tissues of the roof of the mouth) are classified as "level threes." A pediatric reconstructive surgeon is consulted to see what can be done. Multiple surgeries are scheduled, and these babies are often fed via feeding tubes to keep them alive and healthy long enough to complete the reconstructive surgeries. 

Cleft Lip and Palate, Level Four

This is the worst possible scenario for any baby born with this deformity. Most of the time, the roof of the mouth is partially or totally missing, exposing all nasal cavities and the brain to bacteria. Intensive and extensive surgeries are needed to close the roof of the baby's mouth to keep the baby from contracting illnesses from which he/she may not recover.