Soft spot closing and hardening?!
Question: I just got a very sad email from a dear friend of mine. She said that her daughters(16 months old) soft spot has closed and hardened completely already, leaving no room for her brain to grow. She is to have an MRI this week and might possibly need surgery. I have never heard of this before. Can someone tell me what this is called, what the risks are,is surgery always needed and what the outcome of surgery is? Thanks very much for any answers, this little girl is my little girls best friend and Im very worried for her!
Answers: I just got a very sad email from a dear friend of mine. She said that her daughters(16 months old) soft spot has closed and hardened completely already, leaving no room for her brain to grow. She is to have an MRI this week and might possibly need surgery. I have never heard of this before. Can someone tell me what this is called, what the risks are,is surgery always needed and what the outcome of surgery is? Thanks very much for any answers, this little girl is my little girls best friend and Im very worried for her!
I'm wondering if there is more to the closing than your friend may have told you or that it closed long, long ago.
Babies posterior (back) fontanel usually closes by about four months and the anterior (front) fontanel ususally can close as early as nine months or as late as two years. The average is between 12 and 14 months.
When they close too early, it is a sign of something called craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis occurs in about one in 2,500 babies and usually requires surgery. If left untreated, compression of the brain may eventually occur and the other bones of the skull become deformed as they grow. This may cause vision difficulties and significant disfigurement of the face. Surgery is the usual treatment to correct craniosynostosis. During the sugery, the surgeon removes strips of bone in the skull to create artificial sutures, which relieves pressure on the brain and allows the skull to expand normally. After surgery, your baby's skull should return to its normal shape and continue to grow without deformity. The good thing about all this is, if caught and treated the outcome is really good. Focus on that thought only!
Is it possible that your friends daughters head has stopped growing and hasn't grown any in the last three to six months? That might be why they are concerned.
Good luck, I wish your friend and her baby all the best! It is so scary when the doctor tells you that there is something not right with your little one.
Take care.