Research: Cleft Learning and Development 30 July 2010

CleftPALS Victoria are proud to support exciting new research being conducted by The Royal Children’s Hospital and Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.  This research aims to find out more about the thinking, learning abilities and brain development of children with nonsyndromic cleft lip and/ or palate.

While many children with cleft cope well academically, some experience learning difficulties.  Some also have problems with attention, getting organised, multitasking, or mood and social relations.  We want to find out more about the learning and development of children with cleft.  We also want to look at how this may relate to the way the brain develops in children with cleft.

Know a cleft child aged 7 to 16? Find out more:  Learning and development research, Research study recruitment letter

The Jigsaw Foundation 15 June 2010.

A wonderful cause – and have a look at the video featuring our very own Evelyn and lovely Jarrah!

Ozcleft update! 27 May 2010.

Ozcleft is an exciting new project investigating the role of genes in clefts of
the lip and/or palate. Led by Professors Ravi Savarirayan (Victorian Clinical Genetics
Service) and Nicky Kilpatrick (Department of Dentistry), the study will recruit families
who have a child with a cleft lip and/or palate. Find out more here: ozcleft poster_2010

Update from the Ozcleft team:

Following the successful launch of the OzCleft project at the CleftPALS Victoria AGM on May 11th we are pleased to report that we held our first clinical data collection session on May 15th when one lovely family agreed to help us work through the logistics of how to complete a series of examinations (medical, dental, speech, xrays, 3D-photography and ultrasound) on 5 members of one family in one session. The session went very smoothly and despite the large amount of information collected the time flew for all involved. We have received great feedback from both the clinicians and the participants (most specifically which muffins were OK and which ones should not be bought again!). We are now revising some of our processes (and choice of muffins) in readiness for the next data collection session which will be in a few weeks time. We are excited by the response we have already had to this project with 9 families having contacted us wishing to participate and thank CleftPALS for their strong support. For further information contact Supriya Raj on 9345 4109 or ozcleft@mcri.edu.au

Article “Cleft Lip and Palate Explained” – from My Child magazine, September 2009.

– Latrobe Valley Express, 28 September 2009

Badu’s short life has been defined by her cleft lip, considered a curse by many villagers. Her twisted mouth affected her eating and her speech. Her parents feared it would prevent her marrying. Read The Age article here.

Smile Pinki! Pinki had been too ashamed to venture outside her house in Mirzapur because of her cleft lip. In the early years, even her mother used to flinch when she looked at her daughter’s face. Watch the documentary trailer here.

5 October 2008: Scientists have pinpointed a flawed gene that is a major cause of cleft lip. A single change in a sequence of a gene called interferon regulatory factor 6, or IRF6, boosts the risk of cleft lip by 18 percent. Abstract from article:
nature-genetic-journal
We’re hip and happening and up with the techno times – CleftPALS Vic now on Facebook.. come and say hello!

Do you shop at a Ritchies Supermarket? CleftPALS are part of their Community Benefit program. Scan your keyring and help our fundraising! to get a Ritchies CleftPALS keyring contact us.

Last udated on 04. Feb 2009.