Children born with metopic craniosynostosis have narrow, pointed foreheads. Diagram showing scaphocephaly , a long, narrow head shape, often due to premature closure of the sagittal suture. Surgical treatment involves removing bone from the midline sagittal suture. Surgical treatmant involves removing bone from the affected coronal suture. Diagram showing brachycephaly , a short, wide head, often caused by premature closure of both coronal sutures.
Surgical treatment involves removing bone from both coronal sutures.
Surgery is ideally performed before nine months of age. In children with multiple affected sutures or with sagittal craniosynostosis, surgery is performed prior to three months of age. Infants with positional deformities may present with a number of different head shapes. Deformities result from positioning during pregnancy, sleeping position, or from neck tightness. An asymmetrical skull can result in asymmetries of the face causing various functional problems that affect chewing, speech, breathing, and vision.