In simple words: Cleft soft palate is a birth defect where the back part of the roof of the mouth (soft palate) doesn't close completely during development.This can cause problems with feeding, speech, and hearing.

Q35.3, Cleft soft palate, is an ICD-10-CM code representing a congenital anomaly characterized by a fissure in the midline of the soft palate. This condition arises from the failure of the palatine processes to fuse completely during fetal development.The code is used to classify cases where only the soft palate is affected.It is crucial to differentiate this from other cleft palate conditions, such as those involving the hard palate or both hard and soft palates, which are represented by different ICD-10-CM codes.

Example 1: A newborn infant is diagnosed with a cleft soft palate during a routine physical examination. The physician documents the diagnosis and refers the infant to a craniofacial team for evaluation and surgical planning. , A six-month-old child with a cleft soft palate is seen for a follow-up appointment. The child exhibits feeding difficulties and is referred to an occupational therapist specializing in feeding disorders., A three-year-old with a previously repaired cleft soft palate presents with speech difficulties. An audiology assessment is ordered to rule out any middle ear fluid collection or hearing loss associated with the cleft palate.The child is referred to a speech therapist.

Detailed clinical notes documenting the diagnosis of cleft soft palate; description of feeding difficulties, if any;referral information for surgical or other interventions; results of any associated assessments (audiology, speech).

** This code is not for use on maternal records.Always consider using additional codes to capture associated anomalies.