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Cleft lip and palate is due to tissues of the face not properly joining together during development. They are a type of birth defect. The cause in most cases is unknown. Risk factors include smoking during pregnancy, diabetes, an older mother, obesity, and certain medications such as some used to treat seizures.
It is not unusual for a child who is born with a cleft palate to show a delay in both the onset of speech and the development of speech sounds during the first 9-24 months of age. Therefore, it is important to talk to your child and to encourage your child to talk to you.