Causes / Statistics

Most parents cannot explain why their child has this deformity and are very upset, feel guilty and are sometimes downright desperate.

Let me reassure you: the probability of having a child with this malformation lies in the genetic programme of EVERY human being – i.e. of both father and mother.

The causes of these malformations are multifactorial. There are the genetic predispositions that everyone carries in their DNA, and then there are still unexplained external factors that trigger a disruption in embryonic development.

Ultimately, however, there is no definitive decoding of the causes. Contrary to widespread assumptions, however, there is no scientific evidence that an unhealthy diet, drug abuse, misbehaviour, diseases such as coronavirus, vaccinations, the use or lack of medication or dietary supplements or specific environmental factors are responsible.

It is a freak of nature that can affect anyone.

And remarkably, over the years we have found that these children very, very often have special talents.

Statistics

These malformations can occur in the first weeks of pregnancy, when the mother is often unaware that she is pregnant. In Europe, around one in 500 children is born with a lip and palate malformation. This makes these malformations one of the most common congenital malformations, alongside heart defects of varying severity. In the rarest cases, the children have a further handicap. Statistically, boys are affected about 1.5 times more frequently than girls.

Medically, a distinction is made between different forms of these malformations: in around 20% of cases, the lip or lip and jaw are affected. The most common form, which accounts for around 50% of cases, is lip and palate malformations. A further 30% are isolated cleft palates, where only the palate or only the sail is not closed.

In Germany, around 80 children are affected by the Robin Sequence (also known as Pierre Robin Sequence) malformation every year. The Pierre Robin sequence can occur in combination with cleft palate.