Cleft Lip and PalateChildren all over the world are born with some type of cleft, whether it be the lip or the palate. The number of surgeons repairing clefts has increased over the past decade, providing services to those in India who suffer from clefts. According to WebMD, it may be more common in some ethnicities, such as Asian, Latino, or Native American ancestry, than others, but it is less common in those with African American ancestry (WebMD). Cultures also see it in different ways. According to Olivia Linderoth of Operation Smiles, in Rwanda, a child, Challone, was born with a cleft lip. He is only 4 months old and the people of his village are afraid of Challone and think that if they just take a quick look at him, it will bring him bad luck. Challone's parents want to solve this problem, however, to prove to their village that their son does not bring bad luck to people. Many people don't know what causes clefts. Challone's parents didn't understand why their child was born with a cleft lip, but their older son didn't. Her mother suspected it was a genetic condition because her cousin had an untreated cleft lip. They want to fix Challone's lip, but they have to travel for hours to fix it and give him a normal life (Linderoth). Clefts affect one in 700 children in the United States each year. A cleft is a disorder in which tissue fails to form, being the fourth most common birth defect in the United States (WebMD). According to MedlinePlus, it can occur in the upper lip or in the soft or hard palate. You can have both, instead of one, and it can be on one side or both sides (MedlinePlus). According to the CDC, cleft lip is the most common and can even be central, but it rarely happens (Facts). According to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital,......center of paper......association . American Hearing-Speech Association. Network. March 10, 2014."Hare lip and cleft palate." MedlinePlus. MedlinePlus, October 17, 2013. Web. March 10, 2014."Hare lip and cleft palate." Monroe Carell Jr.. Monroe Carell Jr., July 5, 2012. Web. March 10, 2014."Cleft lip and palate." Oral care. WebMD. Network. March 10, 2014."Facts about cleft lip and cleft palate." Congenital defects. CDC, July 15, 2013. Web. March 10, 2014. Linderoth, Olivia. "In Rwanda, Baby Challone has a new smile." Operation Smile. OperationSmile, November 15, 2013. Web. March 10, 2014. Nagarajan, Roopa, V. H. Savitha, and B. Subramaniyan. “Communication disorders in individuals with cleft lip and palate: an overview.” United States National Library of Medicine. United States National Library of Medicine. Network. March 10, 2014."Language development." Foundation for cleft palate. Cleft Palate Foundation, 25 October 2007. Web. 10 March 2014.