One Cleft, Many Shapes, The Cleft Spectrum
Take the reading one piece at a time. For each piece: read it once, underline the sentence that says what happens, then look up any word in the list. Tap a word to see its definition.
Piece 1 of 2
The team reviews four composite cases (teaching cases, not real patients). Baby A (Mateo): the lip is split into the left nostril, continuing through the gum ridge and whole roof of the mouth on the left; the right side is intact. Baby B: both the right and left lip are split into their nostrils, with a central block of lip and gum standing forward; the palate is clefted on both sides. Baby C: the left lip has a small notch near the top, but a band of skin still bridges the gap so the cleft does not reach the nostril floor; the palate is closed. Baby D: the roof of the mouth looks closed and pink, but the uvula is split in two, a bluish translucent stripe runs down the midline of the soft palate, and a notch can be felt at the back edge of the hard palate.
Piece 2 of 2
The same anatomy organizes into three yes-or-no questions a surgeon asks about any cleft. One side or both: unilateral versus bilateral. All the way or partway: complete versus incomplete (the surviving skin bridge in an incomplete lip is a Simonart's band). Open or hidden: most clefts are overt, but a submucous cleft palate is hidden under intact mucosa with the classic triad above. Because the muscle is still clefted underneath, a submucous cleft is a real defect that can need treatment.
Reading the Research
- Skim the title and abstract first to get the gist.
- Circle the one sentence that states the main claim.
- Box the evidence the authors give for that claim.
- Mark one sentence that confuses you, and move on.
Now put it together: In one or two sentences, say what this whole reading is telling you about Mateo. Then go back to the lesson and fill in the guided notes.