In the United States, approximately one child in 700 births has a craniofacial disorder. As two of the most common facial birth defects, cleft lip and cleft palate affect over 5000 newborns each year. Thought to result from a genetic mutation, there is little a parent can do to prevent this deformity. However, the craniofacial deformaties can be surgically reconstructed nearly back to normal in most cases. Much information is available on the WWW to assist parents in dealing with affected children. The Internet also provides valuable information for children and doctors who are involved with treatment.

This site lists major on-line resources for craniofacial abnormalities, particularly cleft lip and cleft palate. It is only intended to be a starting point for people who may need to do basic research. Should the need arise for more specific information, there are many books and potentially videos at your local library and most Universities should have journals that address these issues. The Haverford College Biology Department maintains an Information Sources page that can lead into more detailed research if desired.

Wide Smiles - a non-profit organization with exceptional on-line resources intended for parents of children with cleft deformaties. There are over 600 current articles, all of which can be emailed directly to you, on a variety of topics ranging from general information to choosing a medical professional. Research can be done at this site on insurance, surgery, possible causes and parental/child support. A powerful search engine allows you to search the site's articles, books, videos and discussion group. Specifically for parents, the discussion group is email-based and designed to provide a support network. Wide Smiles has been gathering information about children with cleft deformities through an on-line registry, the goal of which is to better understand the cause of the abnormality. Further features of this site include a novel "venting page" to share personal stories, hundreds of personal pictures (many of which show before and after surgery), a fully illustrated children's story and plenty of resourceful links to other craniofacial sites. The organization publishes a quaterly newsletter for US$22 per year. (last update: 10 January 1999)

American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF) - combined into one web-site, these non-profit organizations provide general but limited information about craniofacial abnormalities. They focus on research, education and, to some extent, treatment of affected children throughout the world. With a phone call to the CPF, free literature is available in both Spanish and English. A student membership fee of US$65 to the ACPA entitles members to The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal and access to educational and scientific meetings. (last update: 1998)

Cleft and Lip Palate - owned and operated by HealthGate Data Corporation, a small high-tech company, this beWELL.com site delivers information to parents about craniofacial abnormalities in an interesting, informative and easy to understand way. The information in the site is provided by the Hackensack Medical Center's Institute for Child Development located in New Jersey. Simple links within the site guide the viewer through an overview of cleft lip and cleft palate with topics such as cause, prevalence, problems, treatments and myths. There is a resources list with eight places to write or call for further information. (last update: 10 July 1998)

Cleft Lip and Palate Tutorial - from the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center, this site provides a brief tutorial for children, parents and professionals. With pictures, diagrams and one quicktime movie, the site describes the causes, development and treatment of specific craniofacial abnormalities. (last update: 7 September 1998)

March of Dimes - as part of the March of Dimes campaign for healthier babies, this site provides a two-page summary of the major issues surrounding cleft lip and palate. It is an excellent site for a quick read as it provides sufficient information in a condensed form. (last update: November 1998)

Cleft Lip and Palate - maintained by New Children's Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, this simple site gives an overview of cleft lip and palate. The seven diagrams assist in making the information clear and concise. (last update: 20 November 1998)

Cleft Lip and Palate Association - an organization based in the United Kingdom that provides general information about cleft lip and cleft palate. There is a good overview of the progression of the disorder through infancy and into adolescence, particularly as it relates to associated problems with hearing and speech. For new mothers, one section extensively describes feeding techniques, as this is often a challenge when children have craniofacial abnormalities. Literature is available, though it is at a cost and in British currency. (last update: 5 January 1999)

Craniofacial Organization - even though some pages within the site are currently under construction, this is an excellent source of in-depth information about craniofacial abnormalities. The Hellenic Craniofacial Center in Athens, Greece maintains this site to gain publicity for its multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment of these anomalies. Parents should view this site only after getting a less-detailed and more general introduction from some of the other locations above. There are no links, but there are plenty of diagrams and pictures to aid in understanding cleft palate and lip. (last update: 1997?)

Operation Smile, Austin Smiles - non-profit organizations that provide free reconstructive surgery for underprivileged children with craniofacial abnormalities. While not a good source of information about cleft deformities, these are good sites to consider if you want to contribute to the "gift of a complete smile." (last update: 20 January 1999, 23 November 1996)

Smiles - a partner organization of Operation Smile, this group of families offers on-line information and support for parents of children with craniofacial deformities. The goal of this organization is to ensure that children born with such abnormalities get prompt and adequate treatment and that parents get support. There is substantial educational material on-line, in addition to an in-depth discussion list and many personal stories with pictures. A search engine enables viewers to check the entire site for relevant documents. (last update: 3 December 1998)

Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Center Newsletter - published by the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry, this is a promotional site for the center, a place to get complete craniofacial care. There is little information on the disorder, but the site has the center's newsletter, though the most recent publication on-line is from September 1997. Updated newsletters may become available with time. (last update: early 1998)

Proud to be a Clefty - this is an outdated site created by a 39 year old woman born with a cleft palate and lip. Her goal was to spread a positive word about the deformaties and encourage people not to be ashamed. Links from her site no longer exist, but maybe someone will take the initiative and carry on her inovative ideas. (last update: 8 July 1998)