If your baby’s head shape looks uneven or different from usual, it may be caused by a condition called craniosynostosis. At Children’s Hospital, our pediatric plastic surgeons provide expert surgical care and coordinated support to help your child grow safely and confidently.
Craniosynostosis occurs when the stretchy joints (called sutures) between your baby’s skull bones fuse together too early. When this happens, the skull cannot expand to fit your baby’s developing brain.
Our team can offer expert guidance. At MU Health Care, our specialists are experts in diagnosing and treating craniosynostosis. We use advanced surgical techniques and a team-based approach to help your child’s brain grow and develop as it should — while giving families peace of mind every step of the way.
Symptoms and Causes of Craniosynostosis
Besides an irregular head shape, craniosynostosis can increase pressure on the brain, causing symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Nausea and vomiting
- Seizures
- Poor vision
Oftentimes, craniosynostosis has no clear cause, but some babies can develop the condition because of genetic mutation. When the cause is genetic, babies may be born with other conditions, such as cleft palate, hemifacial microsomia or syndactyly.
Sometimes, a “flat” head shape may be caused by pressure on one side of the skull during pregnancy or after birth. This is called plagiocephaly, which is not the same as craniosynostosis. The two conditions are treated differently, so it’s important to get a diagnosis from experienced experts.
Getting Help for Craniosynostosis
Because untreated craniosynostosis can put pressure on your baby’s brain, you should get your baby checked as soon as possible. To see our team, you can get a referral from your pediatrician or reach out to our plastic surgery nurse directly.
Types of Craniosynostosis
Our team is skilled at treating the four main types of craniosynostosis, as well as multi-suture craniosynostosis and/or Kleeblattschaedel (cloverleaf skull):
- Sagittal, which involves the suture running from front to back on the top of your baby’s head.
- Coronal, which affects one or both of the sutures running from the top of the head (soft spot) to the sides.
- Metopic, which involves the suture that runs from the top of the head down the center of the forehead.
- Lambdoid, which affects one or both of the diagonal sutures on the back of your baby’s skull.
Whatever type of craniosynostosis your child has, we can offer treatment and resources to support your family.
How We Diagnose Craniosynostosis
At Children’s Hospital, your baby will be examined by our team of experts, which includes:
- Pediatric craniofacial surgeons: Plastic surgeons who perform reconstructive surgery of the head and face.
- Pediatric neurosurgeons: Treat brain conditions and perform surgery for craniosynostosis alongside our pediatric plastic surgeons.
- Pediatric neuropsychologists: Assess your child’s brain development, which can be affected by craniosynostosis.
- Pediatric ophthalmologists: Check your baby for vision issues caused by pressure inside the skull.
- Pediatricians: Specialize in treating babies with craniofacial anomalies.
- Geneticists: Can diagnose conditions like Apert syndrome, a rare disorder present at birth that causes craniosynostosis.
We may also order a computed tomography (CT) scan, a special X-ray to study your baby’s skull and brain. Once we confirm a diagnosis, we’ll work with other specialists on a personalized care plan.
