Type of facial cleft, associated congenital malformations, and parents' ratings of school and conduct problems

Abstract

Parents' ratings of conduct and school problems were evaluated in 79 subjects with palatal clefts. Subjects were divided into four groups consisting of: (1) unilateral complete clefts of the lip and palate (UC Group); (2) unilateral complete clefts of the lip and palate with associated congenital malformations (UC-C Group); (3) cleft palate only (CPO Group); and (4) cleft palate only with associated congenital malformations (CPO-C Group). Comparisons between groups suggested that subjects with associated congenital malformations, whether or not they had UC or CPO, tended to have more serious school and conduct problems when compared to children with clefts and no associated congenital malformations. The association of congenital malformations with a cleft lip and palate increased the risk of reported conduct problems at home and behavioral and learning problems at school.