Everyone in the family had extremely round shaped heads, so when her baby was born with a long head and face, she thought it was pretty amazing until the doctor gave her some bad news.
Mother Loved Her Baby's Long Head But Whe Doctors Told Her The Truth She Freaked Out
By
Editorial Staff in
Bizarre
On 28th March 2016
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#1 Baby's Long Head Poses Medical Risks
When Megan Boler had her son Matthew she was excited because he had skipped the family gene and had a long shaped head instead of almost perfectly round. She thought it was unique, and made him a beautiful baby.
#2 The Condition Is Rare And Effects 1 Out Of Every 2000 Births
On his two month check up with the pediatrician, Megan was told that Matthew had no 'soft spot' on his head and they referred to a specialist. At Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Matthew was diagnosed with craniosynostosis which is a form of birth defect called sagittal synostosis, meaning his skull had fused on the back of his head too early. As a result, his brain had no place to grow, which led to his odd head shape.
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#3 The Only Treatment Is An Operation On The Skull
There is no treatment for the deformity except to operate and cut the skull bone. The brain continues to grow normally but has no place to go because the skull is fused closed, causing serious trauma and brain defects. Dr. Sandi Lam, Director of Craniofacial Surgery Program at Texas Children's Hospital said that early detection of this condition is the key to saving a child's life.
#4 Baby Matthew Had Brain Surgery At Just 10 Weeks Old
Since baby Matthew's brain had no room to grow, doctors had to perform surgery on him at just 10 weeks old. They cut out the fused bone at the center of his skull and created an artificial 'soft spot' or gap, which would allow room for the brain and skull to grow at the same rate. For over four months Matthew had to wear a protective helmet to keep his head safe from any falls or sudden jarring with the skull healed and the skin covering grew normally.
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#5 Look For The Warning Signs In Your Childs Head Shape And Growth
Dr. Lam said it's important to catch the condition early because about 10 percent of children with the condition can end up with high pressure in the brain in the skull which can be dangerous. In rare cases, the condition can lead to developmental delays because the brain was unable to grow properly. When detected and corrected, the brain can then grow normally and heal when the child is still young and it's development is not hindered. She said that the things to look for are a long skinny head, a misshapen skull and a prominent forehead.
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#6 Matthew Was Lucky And Will Be Healing And Developing At A Normal Rate
Luckily, the doctors caught the condition early and were able to perform a surgery to save Matthew's life. Despite his surgery, it took the happy baby only three days to get back to being himself. But doctors warn that if your new baby has a misshapen head or the head is not growing properly, make the pediatrician aware of the issue because it could cause severe neurological conditions later on if not corrected.
