Craniosynostosis
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Joints called cranial sutures, made of strong, fibrous tissue, hold the bones of your baby’s skull together until the bones fuse, normally around age 2. Until then, the sutures intersect at the fontanels, the soft spots on your baby’s head. The largest of the four fontanels is at the front of the skull (anterior). The anterior fontanel is the soft spot you feel just behind your baby’s forehead. The next largest is at the back (posterior). Each side of the skull has a tiny fontanel.
At Mayo Clinic, medical and surgical specialists from over 40 areas are available to collaborate in the treatment of your child.
Craniosynostosis (kray-nee-o-sin-os-TOE-sis) is a birth defect in which one or more of the fibrous joints between the bones of your baby’s skull (cranial sutures) close prematurely (fuse), before your baby’s brain is fully formed. Brain growth continues, giving the head a misshapen appearance.
Craniosynostosis usually involves fusion of a single cranial suture, but can involve more than one of the sutures in your baby’s skull (complex craniosynostosis). In rare cases, craniosynostosis is caused by certain genetic syndromes (syndromic craniosynostosis).
Treating craniosynostosis involves surgery to correct the shape of the head and allow for normal brain growth. Early diagnosis and treatment allow your baby’s brain adequate space to grow and develop.
Although neurological damage can occur in severe cases, most children have normal cognitive development and achieve good cosmetic results after surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment are key.
Craniosynostosis Care at Mayo Clinic
Your baby’s skull has seven bones. Joints called cranial sutures, made of strong, fibrous tissue, hold these bones together. In the front of your baby’s skull, the sutures intersect in the large soft spot (fontanel) on the top of your baby’s head. Normally, the sutures remain flexible, giving your baby’s brain time to grow until the bones fuse at about age 2.
The signs of craniosynostosis are usually noticeable at birth, but they’ll become more apparent during the first few months of your baby’s life. These can include:
There are several types of craniosynostosis. Most involve the fusion of a single cranial suture. Complex craniosynostosis involves the fusion of multiple sutures. Most cases of complex craniosynostosis are linked to genetic syndromes and are called syndromic craniosynostosis.
The term given to each type of craniosynostosis depends on what sutures are affected. Types of craniosynostosis include:
A misshapen head doesn’t always indicate craniosynostosis. For example, if the back of your baby’s head appears flattened, it could be the result of your baby spending too much time on one side of his or her head. This can be treated with regular position changes, or if significant, with helmet therapy (cranial orthosis) to help reshape the head to a more normal appearance.
Your doctor will routinely monitor your child’s head growth at well-child visits. Talk to your pediatrician if you have concerns about your baby’s head growth or shape.
Often the cause of craniosynostosis in not known, but sometimes it’s related to genetic disorders.
If untreated, craniosynostosis may cause, for example:
The risk of intracranial pressure from simple craniosynostosis is small, as long as the suture and head shape are fixed surgically. But babies with complex craniosynostosis, particularly those with an underlying syndrome, may develop increased pressure inside the skull if their skulls don’t expand enough to make room for their growing brains. If untreated, increased intracranial pressure can cause:
Craniosynostosis care at Mayo Clinic
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Craniosynostosis
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