Future projects

Understanding the effectiveness of baby plates: A longitudinal study of the speech and growth outcomes at 5 years of age of children with unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with and without baby plates in infancy.

Some cleft teams use dental plates in the neonatal period before repair of cleft palate. They are controversial, with very strong individual beliefs both for and against their use. Those in favour claim that they narrow the cleft, thereby making the surgical repair easier and that they result in superior speech outcome and growth of the facial bones. It has also been claimed that they help feeding. There is, however, very little evidence to support the use of this expensive and family-intensive intervention. Our team has undertaken a major randomised controlled trial to study the benefits. So far we have found that there have been no benefits for feeding. We now wish to evaluate the speech and facial growth outcomes for the 5 year old patients in this group, following their routine 5 year data collection. This study has the potential to influence practice worldwide.

Glue ear study

We hope to study the effect of a non-dairy formula on the incidence of glue ear in babies with cleft palate.

A study of possible genes associated with cleft lip and palate.

CLEFT, through a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous, is to fund the first year of a project to study the genetic make-up of patients where there is a family history of cleft lip and palate. This project involves a research worker to be supported by CLEFT and will be led by Dr. Phil Stanier. It is hoped that, by studying patterns of genes in these families, the genes which may be involved in clefting may be identified. CLEFT needs to raise the funds to complete the second year of this project.