father with cleft lip and palate

[his daughter]

My father was born in 1931 with a cleft lip and palate. I know nothing at all about the specifics of his diagnosis. He told me once that he had been in a fight as a child and had his lip split open. I know he underwent surgeries and immense personal and emotional pain, but he could never tell me about it. I don't know what I'm trying to discover here. He died ten years ago after a difficult and tormented life. I don't believe his handicap was the root of his unhappiness, (there is much more to his story) but it is a part of the puzzle I'm trying to piece together. Does anyone know about how Cleft Lip and Palate were treated in the 30's? How his mother might have fed him? What societal prejudices he might have had to endure? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Jeff Alterman]

Back in the 1930s the surgical techniques for repairing a cleft lip and a cleft palate were much more primitive than they are today. A newer technique for repair was develop I believe in the late 1930s and over time it has become more polished and refined. Oftentimes once the repairs to a cleft lip & palate have been completed the scars that it leaves behind are almost invisible thanks to todays surgical techniques. Also at the time your father was born they didn't have the special feeders that are available today. In those days they often had to feed cleft palate affected infants with an eyedropper while holding them upright otherwise whatever went into their mouth would often go up into their nasal cavity. When your father grew up their were more societal prejudices than there are today. There were probably many additional factors that contributed to your father's tormented and unhappy life. If he grew up in a rough neighborhood that could have easily contributed to his unhappiness. From what you are describing in your post your father was probably in considerable pain from his cleft. I'm sure this could have easily made him depressed. I wish to tell you that I too have a cleft palate myself, but it is of minor nature since it is a submucous cleft of the hard palate. I have some issues because of it, but they are relatively minor and I never needed surgery for it. The worst thing about it my cleft is that it hurts me sometimes. It isn't always easy for me to live with a cleft. I at least have an idea of what it must be like to live an obvious cleft since I have a minor cleft myself. I would bet you money that it is very difficult for many people to live with an obvious cleft even after it has been repaired. Thankfully I have found out that most cleft affected people do live reasonably normal and happy lives thanks to improved surgical techniques that are available today. If you want to get in touch with me feel free to E-mail me at alterman@bestweb.net. Jeff Alterman at alterman@bestweb.net

[Laura]

It has been a while since you posted this comment, but I will respond just in case you ever come back to check. In older times, cleft palates were associated with mental retardation. It sounds absurd now, but it is more understandable when you recall that ear drainage is often negatively affected by cleft palates, and in earlier days, a small ear infection could lead to complete deafness or other severe head problems. Nowadays, we are aware of this risk and cleft palate children can be protected from such problems.

[Jeff Alterman]

You may or may not be aware that Tad Lincoln who was one of Abraham Lincoln's sons was born with a cleft palate and it never was repaired. His speech was nearly unintelligible and people thoight that he was mentally retarded. As a matter of fact, the opposite was true. It was difficult for others to realize that Tad was quite bright, but his speech must have sounded very nasal. I have a cleft palate myself that was never repaired, but repair was never needed since it is a submucous cleft palate. Although either the soft or hard palate may be cleft in the case of a submucous cleft palate (in my case the hard palate is affected, unlike an obvious cleft palate the palatal tissue will appear to be intact, save for the possibility of a split uvala, but either the muscle tissue (soft palate), or the bone (hard palate) will be cleft, but the cleft is underneath the surface. Oftentimes a submucous cleft of the soft palate will be apparent by the appearance of a line of tissue that looks to be transparent. A submucous cleft of the hard palate may be apparent by the appearance of a deep lineal depression in the midline of the hard palate. Though speech issues do occur sometimes with submucous cleft palates, many times they do not occur and they can be left alone. Sometimes there can be a submucous cleft of the alveolar ridge which might result in some dental issues and a submucous cleft lip which usually has little or no effect on ones facial appearance. I have these cleft too and the cleft in my alveolar ridge is bilateral. Though my soft palate is intact, it is too low resulting in a little velophyarngeal incompetence so my speech is slightly nasal (not meaningful) and the tendency towards making a weak to moderate snoring like noise when I breathe through my mouth hard (annoying). Sometimes my cleft palate causes me a little pain (a nuisance). Despite the extensive nature of my submucous cleft, I have few effects from it and in the most part they are quite minor.


Jeff Alterman at alterman@bestweb.net