Background: Cleft lip and/or palate is the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly. Otitis media with effusion is almost universally present in young children with a cleft palate. OME results in a conductive hearing loss and-if persistent-often requires the placement of ventilation tubes or adjustment of hearing aids in selected cases. Also, a higher incidence of middle ear sequelae e.g. tympanic membrane perforation, chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma is reported in the cleft palate population. Objective: To determine the prevalence of middle ear problems in different age categories of children with cleft palate and to determine factors that may infl uence the middle ear status. Material and methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the patient fi les of cleft palate children visiting the craniofacial team of the