Craniosynostosis in Garland, TX

Craniosynostosis is a scary diagnosis, but it does not have to be a devastating one. When caught early, surgical intervention can often alleviate the craniosynostosis and its related problems, allowing many children with the condition to live a perfectly normal, healthy and happy life. Early intervention and continued monitoring often prove a successful combination.

What is Craniosynostosis?

Craniosynostosis is a condition that occurs in the skulls of infants. At birth, a baby’s skull is made of several bone plates that are not yet fused together. They instead meet each other at places called suture joints. This arrangement allows the baby’s brain to grow and expand, pushing the skull bones out as it does. In craniosynostosis, one or more of these joints is fused at birth, restricting the amount of expansion space inside the skull. As a result, the brain cannot grow to its correct size and may not develop properly. The force from the brain’s attempt to expand and the position of the fused bones can also give the skull an abnormal shape.

If left untreated, craniosynostosis can cause developmental delays. This occurs because the brain is not able to grow in certain directions, which restricts the growth and development in the part of the brain located adjacent to the fused bones.

Categories of Craniosynostosis

The specific type of craniosynostosis that a child is diagnosed with depends on which of the suture joints are fused. The five categories of craniosynostosis are:

• Metopic synostosis
• Coronal synostosis
• Sagittal synostosis
• Lambdoidal synostosis
• Multiple suture synostosis

Craniosynostosis Treatment

The treatment plans for those with craniosynostosis vary greatly depending on how growth and development are being affected in each individual. Your child’s doctor will determine where abnormal growths are occurring and do what is necessary to protect airways, the central nervous system, the spine and the five senses. The doctor will focus on breathing, swallowing and speaking as these functions are the most critical. Other areas of concern will be addressed secondarily.

Though treatment does vary, it almost always involves some type of surgery to open up the skull bones and release pressure to the brain, cranial nerves, and arteries.

If you or a loved one suffers from craniosynostosis or other genetic craniofacial complications, discuss your treatment options with the experienced, compassionate doctors at the International Craniofacial Institute. Contact us today.