Learn About Craniosynostosis
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which one or more sutures on a baby's head closes earlier than usual.
The skull of an infant or young child is made up of bony plates that are still growing. The borders at which these plates intersect are called sutures or suture lines. The sutures allow for growth of the skull. They normally close ("fuse") by the time the child is 2 or 3 years old.
Early closing of a suture causes the baby to have an abnormally shaped head. This may limit brain growth.
Premature closure of sutures; Synostosis; Plagiocephaly; Scaphocephaly; Fontanelle - craniosynostosis; Soft spot - craniosynostosis
The cause of craniosynostosis is not known. Genes may play a role, but there is usually no family history of the condition. It may be caused by external pressure on a baby's head before birth. Abnormal development of the base of the skull and the membranes around the skull bones is believed to affect the movement and position of the bones as they grow.
In cases when this is passed down through families, it may occur with other health problems, such as seizures, decreased intelligence, and blindness. Genetic disorders commonly linked to craniosynostosis include Crouzon, Apert, Carpenter, Saethre-Chotzen, and Pfeiffer syndromes.
However, most children with craniosynostosis are otherwise healthy and have normal intelligence.
Symptoms depend on the type of craniosynostosis. They may include:
- No "soft spot" (fontanelle) on the newborn's skull
- A raised hard ridge along the affected sutures
- Unusual head shape
- Slow or no increase in the head size over time as the baby grows
Types of craniosynostosis are:
- Sagittal synostosis (scaphocephaly) is the most common type. It affects the main suture on the very top of the head. The early closing forces the head to grow long and narrow, instead of wide. Babies with this type tend to have a broad forehead. It is more common in boys than girls.
- Frontal plagiocephaly is the next most common type. It affects the suture that runs from ear to ear on the top of the head. It usually occurs on just one side, causing a flattened forehead, raised eyebrow, and prominent ear on that side. The baby's nose may also appear to be pulled toward that side. This is more common in girls than in boys.
- Metopic synostosis is a rare form that affects the suture close to the forehead. The child's head shape may be described as trigonocephaly, because the top of the head appears triangular, with a narrow or pointed forehead. It may range from mild to severe.
Surgery is usually needed. It is done while the baby is still an infant. The goals of surgery are:
- Relieve any pressure on the brain.
- Make sure there is enough room in the skull to allow the brain to properly grow.
- Improve the appearance of the child's head.
John Persing is a Plastic Surgeon and a Neurosurgery provider in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Persing is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Craniosynostosis. His top areas of expertise are Metopic Ridge, Craniosynostosis, Plagiocephaly, Crouzon Syndrome, and Craniectomy.
Lifespan Physician Group Inc
Albert Woo is a Plastic Surgeon and a Pediatric Surgeon in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Woo is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Craniosynostosis. His top areas of expertise are Craniosynostosis, Plagiocephaly, Metopic Ridge, Craniectomy, and Osteotomy.
Cleft Craniofacial Center At Pediatric Plastics In Lawrenceville
Jesse A. Goldstein, MD, is a craniofacial plastic surgeon certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is chief of the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, director of the Cleft-Craniofacial Center at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He is also program director of the Plastic Surgery Residency program and the Craniofacial Fellowship programs and an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Goldstein is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Craniosynostosis. His top areas of expertise are Craniosynostosis, Metopic Ridge, Plagiocephaly, Osteotomy, and Bone Graft.
How well a child does depends on:
- How many sutures are involved
- The child's overall health
Children with this condition who have surgery do well in most cases, especially when the condition is not associated with a genetic syndrome.
Craniosynostosis results in head deformity that can be severe and permanent if it is not corrected. Complications may include:
- Increased intracranial pressure
- Seizures
- Developmental delay
Contact your child's provider if your child has:
- Unusual head shape
- Problems with growth
- Unusual raised ridges on the skull
Summary: Hemodynamic evaluation during pediatric anesthesia is essential to care management. Intraoperative cardiovascular instability is frequent in major surgeries, and appropriate monitoring is necessary to ensure safe anesthetic conduction and promptly detect changes in blood pressure, cardiac output, blood volume, and organ perfusion. In this context, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, continuous measur...
Summary: This study will examine how effective caregiver's repositioning strategies are in correcting an infant's deformational cranial shape, as well as the effectiveness of the use of a custom cranial remolding orthosis for treatment of deformational head shapes. Infants with torticollis will be concurrently enrolled in physical therapy treatment until the torticollis is resolved. A normal, unaffected po...
Published Date: December 31, 2023
Published By: Mary J. Terrell, MD, IBCLC, Neonatologist, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Birth defects. Craniosynostosis. www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/about/craniosynostosis.html. Updated May 16, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.
Graham JM, Sanchez-Lara PA. Craniosynostosis: general. In: Graham JM, Sanchez-Lara PA, eds. Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Deformation. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 29.
Mandela R, Bellew M, Chumas P, Nash H. Impact of surgery timing for craniosynostosis on neurodevelopmental outcomes: a systematic review. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2019;23(4):442-454. PMID: 30684935 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30684935/.
Trowbridge SK, Yang E, Yuskaitis CJ. Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 631.