The Hidden Cleft Awareness Campaign

WHEREAS, a laryngeal cleft is an abnormal opening in the airway that causes coughing, choking, swallowing, and breathing problems. This congenital birth defect is hidden in the voice box and very difficult to diagnose. It is not a cleft lip, palate, or submucous cleft; and 

WHEREAS, there are four types of laryngeal clefts, with type one being the most mild and type four being the most severe and often deadly; and 

WHEREAS, laryngeal clefts were once thought to affect one in every 10,000 to 20,000 births, but experts now know mild clefts are much more common than originally thought. Studies now show up to 7.5 percent of children who need a rigid airway scope have a laryngeal cleft; and 

WHEREAS, this hidden birth defect is mostly unknown by medical professionals and the general public, resulting in diagnosis delays of months or years, which causes health problems for the child and stress for their families. An undiagnosed or untreated laryngeal cleft often results in feeding difficulties, poor growth, chronic infections, dehydration, lung damage, developmental delays, and more; and 

WHEREAS, children with feeding problems or signs of aspiration should be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor experienced with laryngeal clefts for further evaluation; and 

WHEREAS, Laryngeal Cleft Network (LCN) is a nonprofit that promotes awareness, early diagnosis, and effective treatment of laryngeal clefts; and 

WHEREAS LCN conducts awareness campaigns to help spread the news about this airway cleft, which needs to be diagnosed early and treated appropriately in order to prevent suffering and death in affected children.