

On radiographs, a classic imaging finding is the “harlequin eye,” as the orbit remodels adjacent to the fused coronal suture (Fig 3).Īlthough radiographs and ultrasound can be used to assess the sutures, a 3D head CT readily demonstrates the normal sutures, the prematurely fused sutures, and allows the doctor to consider different treatment options. More often, it happens in the first 4 to 12 weeks of life. For about 20 of babies, a positional skull deformity occurs when they are in the womb or in the birth canal. This is called a positional skull deformity. Radiograph shows the typical “harlequin” configuration of the orbit adjacent to the fused left coronal suture.Ī child with unilateral coronal synostosis presents with flattening of the frontal region on the affected side, and the head shape becomes somewhat trapezoidal. When a baby spends a lot of time in one position, it can cause the shape of their head to change. 1a) and narrowing of the space between the eyes (Fig. However, about 5 to 40 percent of babies with craniosynostosis develop intracranial hypertension, as the brain does not have enough room to grow. Some babies go undiagnosed and grow up with a misshapen head but no other symptoms. Even though this suture normally closes, it can also close prematurely leading to a pointed configuration of the frontal bone (Fig. A CT scan can confirm craniosynostosis, Dr. It is normal for a babys head to be somewhat misshapen for the first few days or weeks of life. Some sutures normally close in infancy and childhood, such as the metopic suture. Plagiocephaly is a disorder that affects the skull, making the back or side of a babys head appear flattened. As a result, these soft bones are easily molded. The large sutures persist into early adulthood and can still be seen on radiographs and CT images as thin, irregular lines between the large skull bones. Read all 85 questions with answers, advice and tips about baby misshapen head from moms' communities. Normally, the sutures become progressively narrowed and ossify as the child develops. They also allow the skull to mold with mild overlapping of the cranial sutures during the birthing process, when a slightly smaller head size is advantageous for an easier delivery. Babies are often born with a misshaped head from being in your womb (uterus) or from moving through the birth canal during delivery. The sutures allow the skull to increase in size to accommodate brain growth throughout infancy and childhood. The skull is composed of multiple bones that are connected at the fibrous cranial sutures. A baby’s head can also become misshapen from positional changes, including deformities that might have occurred in utero when the baby was developing. Is the pediatrician concerned that your baby’s head is misshapen? If so, the doctor might order a head CT to evaluate the cranial sutures to make sure that they have not closed prematurely.
