What Is a Craniofacial Abnormality?
Many people don’t know what craniofacial abnormalities are, though these types of conditions are actually quite common among all races, sexes and birth conditions. Craniofacial disorders affect the face and head area and often create a different appearance either in the facial structure or in the shape of the head itself. Here are some things you should know about craniofacial abnormalities.
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Cleft palates and cleft lips are two of the most frequently seen birth defects.
These two types of craniofacial abnormalities may occur separately or together and affect the way the mouth and lips are shaped at birth. Certain ethnicities are more prone to these types of birth defects than others, but generally one’s risk for having a baby with a cleft palate or lip ranges from 1 in 500 to 1 in 2000. Babies can also be genetically predisposed to this condition.
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There are many different causes related to craniofacial abnormalities.
No one thing leads to the existence of craniofacial abnormality. Instead, many different factors play a part. These may include what substances and toxins a woman is exposed to during her pregnancy, whether or not a woman has pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes and if a woman is within a healthy weight range during pregnancy. Smoking and drinking during pregnancy or trauma during pregnancy and birth may also lead to disfigured bone and tissue structure.
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Many craniofacial abnormalities can be corrected early on.
Modern medical interventions such as fine-tuned surgeries and other treatments can work to resolve facial and head differences while a child is still very young. Many of these operations and other treatment methods are considered extremely safe and effective for correcting even the most challenging of craniofacial abnormalities.
No matter what type of craniofacial abnormalities a child has, there is a plenty of hope and evidence showing that these birth defects can be resolved with surgical treatment.
