label: Cleft soft palate
label_lc: cleft soft palate
description: Cleft of the soft palate (also known as the velum, or muscular palate) as a result of a developmental defect occurring between the 7th and 12th week of pregnancy. Cleft soft palate can cause functional abnormalities of the Eustachian tube with resulting middle ear anomalies and hearing difficulties, as well as speech problems associated with hypernasal speech due to velopharyngeal insufficiency.