Craniosynostosis: Effects of untreated skull disorder in infants – Expert

A neurosurgeon, Dr. Samir Yacout has warned against delaying or neglecting treatment of children suffering from Craniosynostosis and other diseases.  Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant’s skull prematurely fuses by turning into bone and results in change of the shape of the head. Dr. Samir […]

A neurosurgeon, Dr. Samir Yacout has warned against delaying or neglecting treatment of children suffering from Craniosynostosis and other diseases. 

Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant’s skull prematurely fuses by turning into bone and results in change of the shape of the head.

Dr. Samir Yacout who is the Head of the Neurosurgery and Spine Center at the Saudi German Hospital Dubai said in a statement from the hospital that if the condition was left untreated, it prevented brain development and would cause many problems in the child’s life.

He said  the problems include: increasing pressure on the brain, obstructive sleep apnea, changes to the bottom of the skull, in addition to a massive impact regarding behavioral and intellectual functions, such as thinking, balance, changes to the shape of the head and the face – especially the shape of the ears and the eyes – due to the lack of symmetry.

While advising parents to seek early intervention and ensure treatment, he said a surgical intervention was successfully conducted for an 11-months-old Nigerian infant from Abuja who suffered from the condition.

He said when the parents of the child took him for a routine visit to vaccinate him in Nigeria , the doctor noticed among others that the infant’s head was smaller than that of his peers, adding that the parents decided to consult a neurosurgeon to follow up with the matter at the Saudi German Hospital, Dubai after having been rejected by other hospitals. 

Dr. Yacout stated that by clinically examining the infant’s head, he noted the child’s symptoms demonstrated a case of craniosynostosis, caused by a premature closure of the fronticulus, and leading to changes in the shape of the head. In the case of this  infant,  it is known as trigonocephaly.

He said it occurs due to various reasons. “It could be hereditary/genetic, due to the hyperactivity of certain glands, located next to the thyroid, or due to a severe deficiency of Vitamin D, or may be related to birth/delivery issues, or other unknown reasons.”

He said  that the infant was subjected to additional X-rays and CT scans, revealing that the child suffered from multiple craniosynostosis, adding that the surgery lasted two hours. 

The statement said parents of the child noticed improvement especially the shape of the child’s head and improved balance as he started to sit down – which he wasn’t able to do prior to the surgery. 

Executive Director of the Saudi German Hospital, Dr. Reem Osman explained that Craniosynostosis affects one out of   every 2000 infants and that it is best treated at a young age. She added it was  not the first time neurosurgery specialists at the hospital succeeded in conducting difficult, dangerous surgeries for children who were under one year of age.