Disabilities
Children with cleft lip and palate cannot be breast-fed. This is because the oral and nasal areas are joined together due to the cleft palate. While eating, food comes out through the nose again as soon as the child swallows. The exposed palate also makes it impossible to speak properly.
A defect in the muscle which opens and closes the mouth also makes it impossible to smile. Instead, the attempt at a smile comes out as a terrifying grimace. Another symptom is chronic middle ear infections due to the drainage of secretions being impeded into the pharynx via the auditory tube. Unless myringotomy tubes are inserted, the frequent result is deafness in the middle ear.