When a Baby's Skull Is Not Growing With the Brain

Overview

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Craniosynostosis (kray-nee-o-sin-bone-TOE-sis) is a birth defect in which i or more of the fibrous joints between the bones of your baby's skull (cranial sutures) close prematurely (fuse), before your babe'south brain is fully formed. Brain growth continues, giving the head a misshapen advent.

Ordinarily, during infancy the sutures remain flexible, giving your infant'due south brain time to abound. In the front of the skull, the sutures meet in the large soft spot (fontanel) on elevation of the head. The anterior fontanel is the soft spot yous feel just behind your baby's brow. The next largest is at the dorsum (posterior). Each side of the skull has a tiny fontanel.

Craniosynostosis ordinarily involves premature fusion of a single cranial suture, but tin can involve more than than one of the sutures in your baby'due south skull (multiple suture craniosynostosis). In rare cases, craniosynostosis is acquired by sure genetic syndromes (syndromic craniosynostosis).

Treating craniosynostosis involves surgery to correct the shape of the head and allow for normal brain growth. Early on diagnosis and treatment allow your babe's brain adequate space to grow and develop.

Although neurological damage can occur in astringent cases, most children have normal cognitive evolution and achieve good cosmetic results after surgery. Early on diagnosis and treatment are key.

Craniosynostosis Care at Mayo Clinic

Symptoms

The signs of craniosynostosis are commonly noticeable at birth, but they'll go more credible during the kickoff few months of your baby'due south life. Signs and severity depend on how many sutures are fused and when in encephalon development the fusion occurs. These can include:

• A misshapen skull, with the shape depending on which of the sutures are affected
• An abnormal feeling or disappearing fontanel on your babe's skull
• Evolution of a raised, hard ridge along affected sutures
• Slow or no growth of the head as your infant grows

Types of craniosynostosis

At that place are several types of craniosynostosis. Well-nigh involve the fusion of a single cranial suture. Some complex forms of craniosynostosis involve the fusion of multiple sutures. Most cases of multiple suture craniosynostosis are linked to genetic syndromes and are called syndromic craniosynostosis.

The term given to each blazon of craniosynostosis depends on what sutures are affected. Types of craniosynostosis include:

• Sagittal (scaphocephaly). Premature fusion of the sagittal suture that runs from the front to the back at the elevation of the skull forces the head to grow long and narrow. Sagittal craniosynostosis results in a head shape called scaphocephaly and is the most common type of craniosynostosis.
• Coronal. Premature fusion of one of the coronal sutures (unicoronal) that run from each ear to the top of the skull may cause the forehead to flatten on the afflicted side and bulge on the unaffected side. It as well leads to turning of the olfactory organ and a raised eye socket on the affected side. When both coronal sutures fuse prematurely (bicoronal), the caput has a brusque and broad advent, often with the forehead tilted frontwards.
• Metopic. The metopic suture runs from the top of the bridge of the olfactory organ up through the midline of the forehead to the anterior fontanel and the sagittal suture. Premature fusion gives the forehead a triangular advent and widens the back part of the caput. This is besides called trigonocephaly.
• Lambdoid. Lambdoid synostosis is a rare type of craniosynostosis that involves the lambdoid suture, which runs forth the back of the head. It may cause ane side of your baby'due south head to appear apartment, one ear to exist higher than the other ear and tilting of the top of the head to one side.

Other reasons for a misshapen head

A misshapen head doesn't always bespeak craniosynostosis. For case, if the back of your baby's head appears flattened, it could exist the outcome of spending too much fourth dimension on 1 side of his or her head. This tin be treated with regular position changes, or if significant, with helmet therapy (cranial orthosis) to help reshape the head to a more normal appearance.

When to see a doc

Your doctor will routinely monitor your child'south head growth at well-kid visits. Talk to your pediatrician if you have concerns about your baby's caput growth or shape.

Causes

Ofttimes the cause of craniosynostosis is not known, but sometimes it's related to genetic disorders.

• Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis is the near common blazon of craniosynostosis, and its cause is unknown, although it's thought to be a combination of genes and environmental factors.
• Syndromic craniosynostosis is caused by sure genetic syndromes, such as Apert syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome or Crouzon syndrome, which can affect your babe'south skull development. These syndromes usually also include other physical features and wellness bug.

Complications

If untreated, craniosynostosis may cause, for example:

• Permanent head and facial deformity
• Poor self-esteem and social isolation

The take chances of increased pressure inside the skull (intracranial force per unit area) from uncomplicated craniosynostosis is small, as long as the suture and head shape are fixed surgically. But babies with an underlying syndrome may develop increased intracranial pressure if their skulls don't expand plenty to make room for their growing brains.

If untreated, increased intracranial pressure can cause:

• Developmental delays
• Cerebral impairment
• No free energy or interest (sluggishness)
• Blindness
• Eye movement disorders
• Seizures
• Death, in rare instances

December. thirteen, 2019

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Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/craniosynostosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354513

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