title: Is an isolated cleft lip an isolated anomaly?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well known that patients with cleft lip/palate or cleft palate can have associated anomalies. However, there is a relative paucity of information about the possible anomalies associated with an isolated cleft lip. A recent study (Vallino et al., 2008) showed that children with cleft lip and/or alveolus often develop cleft palate-related issues. This inspired us to investigate our population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to the parents of 214 children with cleft lip and/or alveolus; 161 questionnaires were returned (response rate (RR): 75%) and included in our study. The study consisted of 91 boys and 70 girls (0.3-13.1 years: mean 6.8 ± 3.5 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Speech and/or language problems were reported in 34% and ventilation tube insertion in 21% of children with ≥6 years' follow-up. Of the children in that group, 33% reported to have undergone an episode of acute otitis media and 11% reported five episodes or more. Additional congenital anomalies were found in 4% of children with a cleft lip and in 16% of children with a cleft lip/alveolus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that an isolated cleft lip can often be described as an isolated anomaly, although children with cleft lip and/or alveolus develop cleft palate-related issues more often than anticipated. Therefore, we suggest an intensive monitoring and treatment of children with these types of clefts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Deelder
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Breugem
authors.forename: I A C
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mink van der Molen
authors.forename: C M A M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van der Horst
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires