Head Shape Anomaly in Houston, TX

Craniosynostosis (kray-nee-o-sin-os-TOE-sis) is a word that means “the skull has fused bones.” The condition is a birth defect where one or more of the bones in a baby’s skull fuse and close too early. Babies have fibrous joints between the bones (cranial sutures) and a soft spot (fontanelle) which allow for the brain and head to grow quickly in the first years of life.

If one of those joints of the skull closes too early it can give the baby’s head a misshapen appearance. In severe cases, this fusion of the joint can cause compression on the brain. Craniosynostosis usually involves fusion of a single cranial suture but can involve more than one of the sutures in a 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. With the early diagnosis and treatment of a head shape anomaly Houston parents can be rest assured that their baby's brain will have adequate space to grow and develop.