When do sutures close in children

When that happens, the skull will have an abnormal shape, although the brain inside the skull has grown to its usual size.

Sometimes, though, more than one suture closes too early. In these instances, the brain might not have enough room to grow to its usual size. This can lead to a build-up of pressure inside the skull. Read her story as well as other stories from families affected by craniosynostosis ». Researchers estimate that about 1 in every 2, babies is born with craniosynostosis in the United States.

The causes of craniosynostosis in most infants are unknown. Some babies have a craniosynostosis because of changes in their genes. In some cases, craniosynostosis occurs because of an abnormality in a single gene, which can cause a genetic syndrome.

However, in most cases, craniosynostosis is thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.

CDC, like the many families of children with birth defects, wants to find out what causes these conditions. Understanding the factors that are more common among babies with a birth defect will help us learn more about the causes.

Recently, CDC reported on important findings from research studies about some factors that increase the chance of having a baby with craniosynostosis:. CDC continues to study birth defects, such as craniosynostosis, and how to prevent them. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your doctor about ways to increase your chances of having a healthy baby. Craniosynostosis usually is diagnosed soon after a baby is born. The most common suture to fuse early is the sagittal suture.

This suture runs from the front to the back along the middle of the skull. This results in a head shape that is long from front to back and narrow from side to side. This head shape is known as scaphocephaly. The forehead often becomes tall and pushes forward referred to as frontal bossing while the back of the skull may become pointed or narrowed. The second most common fusion occurs in the metopic suture. This runs up the middle of the forehead and when fused, may cause an angled forehead with a crest pointed area in the middle of the forehead and a swept back appearance to the eyebrow and temple bones.

The eyes may also appear close together. This head shape is known as trigonocephaly. There are varying degrees of deformity in trigonocephaly. Severe and obvious cases will require surgery, while mild cases may need no surgery or limited surgery at a later date. The coronal suture runs from the top of the skull down the sides towards the corner of the eye. There is a coronal suture on both sides of the skull.

One or both sutures can become fused and this results in a flat forehead and a difference in the appearance of the eyes, with one being more open than the other. The lambdoid suture is at the back of the skull.

This fusion is rare and requires surgical correction. If the lambdoid suture fuses, it causes flattening to the back part of the skull. This is different to deformational plagiocephaly.

Early closure of this suture may result in a prominent ridge running down the forehead. Sometimes, the forehead looks quite pointed, like a triangle, with closely placed eyes hypotelorism. Scaphocephaly is an early closure or fusion of the sagittal suture. This suture runs front to back, down the middle of the top of the head. This fusion causes a long, narrow skull.

The skull is long from front to back and narrow from ear to ear. Craniosynostosis may be congenital present at birth or observed later, often during a physical examination in the first year of life.

The diagnosis involves thorough physical examination and diagnostic testing. The doctor may also ask about developmental milestones, since craniosynostosis can be associated with other neuromuscular disorders. Developmental delays may require further medical follow-up for underlying problems. Craniosynostosis can be diagnosed by physical exam.

If needed, your neurosurgeon may recommend imaging tests. When Fitz was born, it was obvious that his skull was misshapen.

By 5 weeks old, Fitz had been diagnosed with craniosynostosis. His skull had fused early and was constricting his brain growth. The key to treating craniosynostosis is early detection and treatment. Surgery is typically the recommended treatment, since it can reduce pressure in the head and correct the deformities of the face and skull bones.

Early diagnosis and consultation with a specialist are important. In general, the best time to operate is before the child is 1 year old, since the bones are still very soft and easy to work with. Surgery can last up to six hours. Your baby will likely spend one night in the intensive care unit, plus an additional few days in the hospital for monitoring. This surgery may commonly involve a blood transfusion. After surgery, there may be temporary facial swelling.