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Children with cleft lip/palate and mental retardation: a subpopulation of cleft-craniofacial team patients
1Department of Dental Ecology, UNC School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill 27599.
Insights
A significant subpopulation of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate also have mental retardation. These patients often present with multiple anomalies and require specialized care strategies.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial biology
- Developmental pediatrics
- Medical genetics
Background:
- Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) are common congenital conditions.
- Understanding associated conditions in CL/P patients is crucial for comprehensive care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare individuals with CL/P and mental retardation to those with CL/P and normal learning.
- To identify characteristics and associated conditions within the CL/P subpopulation with mental retardation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review at a university-based cleft-craniofacial center.
- Comparison of patients with CL/P and mental retardation (n=56) versus those with CL/P and normal learning (n=420).
Main Results:
- 46.8% of patients with mental retardation had isolated cleft palate.
- 46.3% of patients with mental retardation had multiple anomalies, syndromes, or medical findings (e.g., cardiopulmonary defects, seizures, head size deviations).
- Mental retardation was more prevalent in African-American patients with clefts compared to Caucasian patients; higher rates of facial disfigurement and speech impairment were observed in patients with clefts and mental retardation.
Conclusions:
- A distinct subpopulation of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate also experience mental retardation.
- Craniofacial-cleft teams must develop targeted strategies to address the unique needs of patients with CL/P and mental retardation.
Abstract:
This study compares a subpopulation of persons with cleft lip/palate who have mental retardation (n = 56) to those with normal learning (n = 420), at a large university-based cleft-craniofacial center. Many of the patients identified as having mental retardation in this sample have the diagnosis of isolated cleft palate (46.8%). Nearly half (46.3%) of the patients with mental retardation were found to have multiple anomalies, syndromes or associated medical findings. Common findings included cardiopulmonary defects, seizures, and deviations in head size. In this clinic population, mental retardation was found more commonly among African-American patients with clefts, than among Caucasian patients with clefts. Higher rates of facial disfiguration and impaired speech were found in patients with clefts and mental retardation. This research demonstrates that among a population of persons with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, there is a subpopulation of children who also have mental retardation. Craniofacial-cleft teams will need to develop strategies to address the special needs of this group of patients.
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