American Idol this year has connections to two issues dear to my heart: the craniofacial disorders known as cleft lip and palate kids and the cyberbullying they often experience. The connections include a young singer from greater New Orelans, Cameron Richard, and the father of the A.I. winner of last year's runaway hit show Nick Fradiani. Cleft lip and palate. 'A Raceland teen who won over the hearts of many across the country on "American Idol" is bringing attention to Cleft … [Read more...]
Cambodia’s rate of untreated cleft lip and palate: world’s worst.
Cambodia's beauty hides some ugly truths.Cambodia is a beautiful country which allows some of its not-so-beautiful cleft lip and palate babies to go untreated. I traveled there less than a year ago to pay homage to the country's beauty and unbelievable historic ruins. But one could not escape the harsh political climate which may be a holdover from the help neighboring Viet Nam provided in overthrowing the genocidal regime of Pol Pot several decades ago. As a result, many Cambodians must go to … [Read more...]
Jesus with a cleft lip in Mary-Magdalene biopic?
Joaquin Phoenix Will Likely Play Jesus with a cleft lip.Hollywood is abuzz with the news that Joaquin Phoenix will likely play Jesus, with a cleft lip, in a new movie about Mary Magdalene—an important woman in Jesus' life. It will reportedly be "an authentic and humanistic portrait of one of the most enigmatic and misunderstood spiritual figures in history.” Jesus with a cleft lip will be a first.Other actors to have famously taken on the role of Jesus in past films include Willem Dafoe (The … [Read more...]
Brexit, cleft lip abortions, and EU eugenics.
With all the news of Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), we should note a reason a number of Brits gave for voting for Brexit. It's not one of the usual immigration or economic reasons. Instead, it's that they feel bullied by the socio-cultural policies of the EU.Most particularly, they note that all EU countries support abortion except the tiny EU nation of Malta. Dr. K. Vella Bardon's recent article about U.K.'s eugenics foe C.K. Chesterton is reprinted below.But before looking at … [Read more...]
Cleft palate speech evaluation ain’t easy.
Typically in the US, specialists evaluate children born with a cleft lip and/or palate after his or her lip and palate are closed in year one or two. If they find deficient structural elements (e.g., a short soft palate) for producing intelligible speech, they tend to advocate further corrective surgery. When all speech-creating structures are aligned as well as possible, then children have the best chance of developing normal speech. Speech therapists sometimes work with children as soon as … [Read more...]
Cleft lip doesn’t stop nation’s #1 rusher.
Imagine if you had a cleft lip and palate and your hi school football coach said this about you:“There is really nothing on the football field that Zamir can’t do. Zamir is an every down [running] back. He has the ability to run between the tackles. He’s physical, strong and can run through tackles but he also has the speed to run on the edge and take it the distance. He ran a 10.5 100-meters this spring. The other thing Zamir does well is catching the ball. He has very good hands from doing all … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day pics prove cleft lip isn’t always genetic.
No cleft lip or palate in son.Couldn't resist indulging in a little family boosterism this Mother's Day. The first pic shows two favorites of mine doing the Mother-Son Dance at John's recent wedding in Massachusetts. No cleft lip in daughter either.My clefts were caused mostly by environmental factors (likely a vitamin B deficiency, but no one knows). A slight genetic predisposition might have rounded out the nurture-nature combo that's usually in play with clefts. … [Read more...]