The chances that a child will have a cleft lip or palate can increase if a parent, close relative or another sibling experienced the condition, but the increased risk is still small, Dr. Daniel Jaffurs, a CHOC plastic surgeon, tells “American Health Journal.”
Whether a child will experience clefting relies on a variety of factors, including prenatal care and genetics, Dr. Jaffurs says. Across races, Asians and Hispanics have higher rates, Africian-Americans almost never experience clefting, and Caucasian children fall in the middle of the spectrum of clefting frequency.
Learn more about diagnosis and treatment of this condition in “American Health Journal,” a television program that airs on PBS and other national network affiliates that reach more than 30 million households.
Each 30-minute episode features six segments with a diverse range of medical specialists discussing a full spectrum of health topics. For more information, visit www.discoverhealth.tv.
Dr. Jaffurs completed his medical training at the University of Pittsburgh. He did his internship and residency in general surgery at the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Penn. The doctor completed a fellowship in plastic surgery at the University of Oklahoma, and a fellowship in pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.
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