Understandthe gap.
Plain-language guides for families, schools and everyone in between. Written from lived experience and backed by sources like the CDC, ACPA and NHS. Every guide lists its sources, and medical topics are flagged for clinical review.
What is a cleft lip and palate?
A plain-language introduction for parents, family and anyone who wants to understand.
Read · 4 minFor teachersClassroom guide: reading My Puzzling Smile
Read · 4 minFor parentsFor parents: it’s okay to feel what you feel
Read · 4 minWhat is a cleft lip and palate?
A plain-language introduction: what a cleft is, how and when it forms, what is known about causes, how common it is, and what care can look like.
Understanding cleftsThe care journey, step by step
Who is on a cleft team, typical ages for each stage of care from birth to the late teens, and how to find an ACPA-approved team.
For familiesQuestions to ask your cleft team
A checklist for your first cleft team visits: the plan, feeding, hearing and speech, emotional support and costs, so nothing gets missed when you are tired and overwhelmed.
For familiesFeeding a baby with a cleft: what to expect early on
Why feeding can be harder with a cleft palate, the main types of special bottles, positioning, the real story on breastfeeding and pumping, and how to know your baby is growing well.
For familiesTalking with your child about their cleft
Simple, honest words for each age, grounded in published guidance, so your child can tell their own story with confidence.
Feelings & belongingWhen people ask: answering questions and stares
Why people ask, a simple three-step way to answer (from visible-difference experts), ready-to-use scripts for kids and adults, and what to do when a comment is unkind.
For schoolsClassroom guide: reading My Puzzling Smile
How to read the book with your class: why it matters, how to prepare with the family, discussion questions, the "United by" activity, and what to do if teasing comes up.
For schoolsSupporting a student with a cleft at school
What teachers should know about speech, hearing, learning, time away for surgery, teasing, and IEP/504 support for students with cleft lip and palate.
Feelings & belongingFor parents: it’s okay to feel what you feel
Shock, fear, grief and guilt are common after a cleft diagnosis. What research says about those feelings, how to tell when it’s more than the “baby blues,” and where to get support.
Feelings & belongingBeyond clefts: everyone has a gap
Clefts are one of many birth and visible differences. What the numbers say about how common difference is, what research says about closing the gap, and small ways anyone can help someone belong.
Understanding cleftsGlossary: words you’ll hear
Plain-language definitions of 25 terms that come up at cleft appointments, each with a source.
No guides match that search yet.