What Is Submucous Cleft Palate?
Some clefts are not obvious at birth. Here is what parents should know about submucous cleft palate.
A submucous cleft palate is a type of cleft palate where the muscles of the soft palate are split, but the surface layer of tissue (mucous membrane) is intact. This makes it harder to see than a typical cleft palate.
- What it looks like:
- The surface of the palate appears intact
- On close examination, three signs may be present: 1. A bifid (split) uvula 2. A translucent (bluish) area in the midline of the soft palate 3. A notch in the back edge of the hard palate
- How it is diagnosed:
- Often not noticed at birth
- May be discovered when speech problems develop
- Diagnosis is made by examining the palate visually and by feeling with a finger
- A nasopharyngoscopy can confirm the diagnosis
- Problems it causes:
- Hypernasal speech β air leaks through the nose during speech
- Feeding difficulties in some babies
- Middle ear infections (due to poor Eustachian tube function)
- Difficulty with certain speech sounds (plosives like P, B, T, D)
Treatment
Treatment is not always needed. If the child has normal speech, no surgery may be required. If speech is affected, surgical repair (palatoplasty) is performed, typically between 1β5 years of age.
Clinical Guidance
A submucous cleft palate is a hidden cleft where the palate muscle is split but the surface appears intact. It is often diagnosed later when speech problems develop. Treatment depends on how severely speech is affected.