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Cranial Facial Anomalies
A cleft lip is a separation of the upper lip. The cleft can occur on one or both sides of the lip. A cleft palate is a separation of the top of the mouth. Like cleft lip, cleft palate also can occur on one or both sides of the top of the mouth. Very often, someone who has a cleft lip also will have a cleft palate.
It is the fourth most common birth defect occurring in one of every sixteen hundred births in the United States.
The Division of Oral Health runs monthly reports to update the Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate file. A print report listing of the new infants are added to that file. These reports list information on the Cleft Lip/ Cleft Palate File in a selected date of birth range. Reports have also been created over the years to do a tally of the number of infants by county or source of data and statistics. The CFA report lets IDPH know to send a letter to the mother including informational brochures and team letters as resources for them. There are special teams of Doctors, Dentists and Nurses in Illinois to help you find answers to questions you may have as you welcome your newborn baby. These teams will work with you, your baby and your family doctor to make sure your baby gets the best care possible. To contact a genetic counselor from IDPH, contact Newborn Screening at 217.785.8101
Email Newborn Screening- dph.newbornscreening@Illinois.gov
Email Illinois Oral Health – dph.oralhealth@Illinois.gov