Cleft palate: born as a monster or a treatable deformity? The moon shines brightly over the clearing, revealing a small village that appears to have been carved out of the jungle. At the outer edge of a cluster of small buildings stands a cabin, all windows lit by firelight. Suddenly a ferocious shrill cry pierces the silent night. The mother lying in the hut lets out a sigh of relief as she wipes her sweaty forehead. After all these months, her baby has finally come into the world. She reaches out and grabs her newborn son, bringing him towards her so she can see his little face. As she looks down at him, a groan of dismay escapes her. He's a monster! Surely this hideous creature cannot be her baby! His face seems divided from the lower lip up; it sounds like he's growling at her. As she watches, he lets out another loud cry. The horrible tissue where his cherubic mouth should be flaps wildly. His heart sinks in pain as he realizes that all his pain was for nothing. We cannot allow this monster to live. They'll have to get rid of him. All over the world, scenes like this take place in small villages or towns where education (for them) means they have learned to hunt, gather supplies, or build their own home. Many people believe that poor children born with cleft palates are monsters; they don't understand that cleft palate is a legitimate genetic disorder and that it can easily be corrected with simple surgery. Today, there are many efforts being made by doctors around the world to help educate people about cleft palate, so that they can banish long-standing superstitions about the disorder. There are also non-profit organizations working to provide the necessary information...... middle of paper ......A%2F%2Fwww.credoreference.com/entry/ehsmosbymed/cleft_palate_repair (LIRN)Guo, Z ., Huang, C., Ding, K., Lin, J., & Gong, B. (2010). Transforming growth factor beta-3 and environmental factors and cleft lip with/without cleft palate. DNA and Cell Biology, 29(7), 375-380. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.Pryor, L.S., Lehman, J., Parker, M.G., Schmidt, A., Fox, L., & Murthy, A.S. (2006). Results in pharyngoplasty: a 10-year experience. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 43(2), 222-225. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/CleftLip.htmlhttp://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/cleftLipPalate.cfmhttp://www.operativesmile.org/our_work/medical-missions/ cleft palate repair. (2009). In Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions. Retrieved from: http://www.credoreference.com/entry/ehsmosbymed/cleft_palate_repair