What kind of disorders does "Cleft Lip and Palate" fall under?

Cleft lip and palate are classified as structural disorders affecting speech and resonance. This classification is due to the fact that these conditions involve physical abnormalities in the structure of the lip and/or the roof of the mouth (palate). The presence of a cleft can significantly impact a person's ability to produce speech sounds correctly, leading to resonance issues, such as hypernasality or hyponasality, as well as articulation challenges.

Individuals with cleft lip and palate may also experience difficulties in feeding, dental problems, and ear infections, which can further influence their speech and language development. Due to the structural nature of the disorder, treatments often involve surgical interventions to repair the lips and palate, alongside speech therapy to address any speech or resonance issues that arise from the disorder.

Other categories mentioned, such as neurological, functional, or language disorders, do not accurately capture the primary characteristics associated with cleft lip and palate since these do not fundamentally arise from the brain's neurological functions, nor are they solely related to how speech is used functionally or linguistically.