Research on Cleft Lip and Palate

Doctors and scientists in Seattle Children’s Craniofacial Center are studying isolated cleft lip and palate and complex conditions that cause gaps in part of the face or head (clefts).

These conditions include Robin sequence, Stickler syndrome, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and van der Woude syndrome.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds many of our research projects.

Cleft Causes and Prevention

Dr. Kai Yu uses mouse models and advanced 3-D imaging to understand how the palate forms. Past research identified changes in genes (mutations) that cause cleft palate. Now he works to understand how mutations disrupt normal development of the palate.

Measuring Clefts and Surgical Results

Dr. Raymond Tse uses 2D and 3D measurements to precisely measure cleft severity and the impact of surgical approach.

Dr. Tse is working with computer science engineers on tools to measure cleft severity and treatment success. They want to understand how the lip and nose change as a child grows. The goal is to help surgeons decide on the best treatment for each child.

Reporting on a Baby’s Health After Cleft Lip Repair

Seattle Children’s doctors are developing a tool to collect information from parents about their baby’s health after surgery for cleft lip. The goal is to find standard ways to measure the success of different treatments. The tool is being developed with help from caregivers of babies with clefts. Dr. Carrie Heike is working on the tool with researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Sleep Apnea and Robin Sequence

• A team led by Dr. Kelly Evans is studying obstructive sleep apnea in babies with craniofacial conditions, including Robin sequence. The goal is to help children with craniofacial conditions breathe better so they can thrive. Researchers also want to learn the type of support most helpful for families.
• Past research helped us understand which babies and children with the Robin sequence are at risk for severe breathing problems. Now, we are studying whether we can identify these children based on certain airway and facial features seen on imaging scans.
• The Evans lab is also examining factors during pregnancy and birth that might be linked to the Robin sequence.

Learning Differences in Children With Clefting

Dr. Brent Collett and Dr. Emily Gallagher are studying the early learning skills of children with clefts compared to children without clefts.

Past research has shown that children with clefts are more likely to have learning problems in school than their classmates. Drs. Collett and Gallagher want to know what might cause these problems and what can be done to prevent them. They are studying ways parents can use reading to improve their children’s speech and language skills.