1) In chemistry and physics, an element is a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler components by any non-nuclear chemical reaction.
Tips for feeding a baby with a cleft palate. 1  Observe your infant for a period of sucking, followed by a swallow and a brief period of breathing. Do not squeeze the bottle during the swallowing or breathing phase.  Keep the bottle tilted so the nipple is always full of milk.
Treatment. Treatment of cleft palate and cleft lip is by surgery, followed by measures to improve speech. A cleft palate should be reconstructed by plastic surgery when the child is about 18 months old, before he learns to talk. The corrective work usually requires only one operation.