In an infant, the skull is not a solid piece of bone, but several boney plates separated by fibrous sutures. These sutures allow room for growth as an infant develops, and will eventually fuse to form a solid skull. Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of these sutures fuse prematurely, causing restricted skull and brain growth. The result is an abnormally shaped head, or in severe cases, increased pressure on the brain. It is often sporadic with unknown cause, but can sometimes be linked a genetic syndrome. A physician’s examination as well as X-rays and/or a CT scan are required in order to properly diagnose craniosynostosis. The most common treatment is surgery performed by a neurosurgeon and craniofacial surgeon. There are three goals in surgery; open up the fused sutures to allow room for normal skull and brain growth, relieve any pressure that may be on the brain, and give the head a more normal appearance. Some cases may require more than one surgery. The prognosis for a child with craniosynostosis is generally good when treated, but will depend on which sutures and how many are fused....
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