When is skull fully fused

This happens because the skull bones shift, but the cranial sutures do not fuse. It is different from craniosynostosis. A newborn may have no symptoms or signs, but the condition may become noticeable during the first months of life. They do this to spot this kind of condition.

The cause of craniosynostosis depends on the type. The condition can be nonsyndromic, or syndromic. When a gene mutates, the information it would normally carry changes. Researchers note that the changes can affect different parts of the body, including:. A study published in suggested that taking valproic acid — for example, Depakote — for epilepsy during pregnancy may increase the chance of the child being born with craniosynostosis. According to the CDC , recent research also suggests that there is a higher risk for infants whose mothers:.

Imaging tests, such as CT scans and X-rays, can show which sutures have fused. This is important if surgery is likely. A craniofacial surgeon specializes in head and facial surgery and surgery of the jaw. A neurosurgeon specializes in the brain and the nervous system. The craniofacial surgeon then reforms these sections of the skull and places them back in the head. They then sew up the opening using dissolvable stitches. The process can last several hours, and the child will stay in the hospital for a few days after the surgery.

The face is likely to swell, but this not a need for concern. Sometimes a child needs further surgery to reshape the face, or if the craniosynostosis reappears. This is less invasive. The doctor makes two small incisions in the scalp and cuts the sutures using an endoscope. When these instruments are used improperly, the result can be head trauma to the baby that includes skull fractures. In complicated and long labors, medical professionals are more likely to use instruments like forceps and vacuum extractors to try and speed up the delivery.

If the baby shows signs of asphyxiation, the medical professionals may start to panic and force the delivery. A rushed delivery may result in errors that cause skull fractures. McGrath, A. Pediatric Skull Fractures. Statpearls Publishing. SH, O. As our children develop, we can see that the body takes its own measures to protect the skull, by growing even more pliable tissue during important transition periods. And as children grow into their adult bodies, that tissue dissolves, leaving a completely healthy adult skull.

The fully formed adult human skull is formed from fused skull bones, with all remaining soft spots covered with expanding cranial bone. This may force growth to happen in another area or direction. This results in an abnormal head shape craniosynostosis. There are 2 fontanelles the space between the bones of an infant's skull where the sutures intersect that are covered by tough membranes that protect the underlying soft tissues and brain.

The fontanelles include:. Anterior fontanelle also called soft spot. This is the junction where the 2 frontal and 2 parietal bones meet. The anterior fontanelle remains soft until about 18 months to 2 years of age. Doctors can assess if there is increased intracranial pressure by feeling the anterior fontanelle.