🧡 Giving Every Voice a Chance: Honoring National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month (July)

Every July, we recognize National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month—a time to bring visibility, compassion, and advocacy to individuals born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other craniofacial differences. These conditions can impact a person’s ability to breathe, eat, hear, and communicate—areas of life most of us take for granted.

At the heart of this awareness month is a simple but powerful message: everyone deserves the chance to be heard.

What Are Cleft and Craniofacial Conditions?

Cleft and craniofacial conditions are a group of congenital differences that affect the head and face. The most common include:

• Cleft lip and/or cleft palate

• Craniosynostosis

• Microtia (small or absent ear)

• Hemifacial microsomia

• Treacher Collins syndrome

These conditions can vary in severity, but many share a common impact: they may disrupt the development of speech and feeding, requiring early and ongoing support from a skilled, compassionate care team.

Why Speech Therapy Matters

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are vital members of the cleft and craniofacial team. Our role extends far beyond articulation—we work alongside families, surgeons, audiologists, and feeding specialists to help children develop clear, functional, and confident communication skills.

SLPs support children through:

✅ Early feeding therapy – helping infants with cleft palate safely breastfeed or bottle-feed

✅ Speech and resonance therapy – addressing nasal airflow, articulation, and voice quality

✅ Pre- and post-surgical support – ensuring the best outcomes from palate repairs or other surgical interventions

✅ Parent education and advocacy – empowering caregivers with tools to promote speech and language at home

✅ Ongoing developmental monitoring – because speech and language needs can evolve over time

Prevention and Awareness Go Hand-in-Hand

While not all craniofacial differences are preventable, some clefts may be linked to prenatal factors like nutrition (especially folic acid), tobacco or alcohol exposure, or certain medications. Raising awareness helps families understand the importance of prenatal care, early screening, and timely referrals to the right specialists.

Equally important is reducing stigma. Children with cleft and craniofacial conditions often face social and emotional challenges. When communities are educated and inclusive, we create a safer, more supportive world for all.

How You Can Support This Month

💬 Spread the word. Share this post, use hashtags like #CleftAwarenessMonth or #CraniofacialAwareness, and elevate stories of resilience.

🎗 Wear yellow or orange. These colors represent cleft and craniofacial awareness—wear them proudly.

📚 Educate yourself and others. Learn more about speech therapy’s role, cleft prevention, and how you can be an ally to individuals with facial differences.

💙 Support local or national organizations. Groups like the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and Smile Train offer vital resources and services for families worldwide.

Final Thoughts

At Marigold Speech, we believe that every child deserves the tools to eat safely, speak clearly, and feel confident in their own voice. National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness Month is a meaningful reminder of the power of early intervention, multidisciplinary care, and the life-changing impact of speech therapy.

If you know a family navigating a cleft or craniofacial journey, remind them: they are not alone—and their child’s voice matters deeply.

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