1Turn to this book for family-friendly guidance and support for young children with cleft lip, cleft palate, and cleft lip and palate, one of the most commonly occurring birth defects. Learn about: -what clefts are -how they are repaired and when -feeding problems before and after surgery -dental issues -hearing & middle ear problems -your child's treatment team -your child's perspective -velopharyngeal inadequacy -speech-language skill building activities A team of speech-language pathologists focuses especially on mitigating the speech and language problems experienced by children ages birth to five with cleft palate. Parents can use the book's dozens of practical, hands-on activities to improve their child's speech. For example, Bug Race uses a cotton ball or pom-pom that the child moves by releasing pressure from behind the lips to stimulate oral airflow, The books' helpful strategies, illustrations of cleft repair procedures, photos of equipment are very helpful.