A cleft palate is a congenital abnormality or birth defect that affects the roof of the mouth. It occurs when the two sides of the palate do not fuse together during foetal development, leaving an opening or gap in the middle. A cleft palate can affect a child's appearance, speech, feeding, and hearing.Although the exact cause of cleft palate is unknown, genetic and environmental factors may be involved. Some possible risk factors include family history,…