CDC funds the Centers for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, which collaborate on large studies such as the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS births 1997-2011), to understand the causes of and risks for birth defects, such as craniosynostosis. Understanding the factors that are more common among babies with a birth defect will help us learn more about the causes. However, in most cases, craniosynostosis is thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.Д¬DC, like the many families of children with birth defects, wants to find out what causes these conditions. In some cases, craniosynostosis occurs because of an abnormality in a single gene, which can cause a genetic syndrome.

Some babies have a craniosynostosis because of changes in their genes. The causes of craniosynostosis in most infants are unknown. Researchers estimate that about 1 in every 2,500 babies is born with craniosynostosis in the United States. How Many Babies are Born with Craniosynostosis? Sometimes, if the condition is not treated, the build-up of pressure in the babyвЂ™s skull can lead to problems, such as blindness, seizures, or brain damage. Whether or not the brain has room to grow.When the sutures closed (was it before or after birth and at what age).Many of the problems a baby can have depend on: Read her story as well as other stories from families affected by craniosynostosis В» Other Problems This is one of the rarest types of craniosynostosis.ДeborahвЂ™s daughters were born with craniosynostosis. If this suture closes too early, the top of the babyвЂ™s head shape may look triangular, meaning narrow in the front and broad in the back (trigonocephaly). Metopic synostosis вЂ“ The metopic suture runs from the babyвЂ™s nose to the sagittal suture at the top of the head.This is one of the rarest types of craniosynostosis.

If this suture closes too early, the babyвЂ™s head may be flattened on the back side (posterior plagiocephaly). Lambdoid synostosis вЂ“ The lambdoid suture runs along the backside of the head.In this case, the babyвЂ™s head will grow broad and short (brachycephaly). Bicoronal synostosis вЂ“ This type of craniosynostosis occurs when the coronal sutures on both sides of the babyвЂ™s head close too early.This is the second most common type of craniosynostosis. The babyвЂ™s eye socket on that side might also be raised up and his or her nose could be pulled toward that side. When one of these sutures closes too early, the baby may have a flattened forehead on the side of the skull that closed early (anterior plagiocephaly). Coronal synostosis вЂ“ The right and left coronal sutures run from each ear to the sagittal suture at the top of the head.It is the most common type of craniosynostosis. When this suture closes too early, the babyвЂ™s head will grow long and narrow (scaphocephaly). Sagittal synostosisвЂ“ The sagittal suture runs along the top of the head, from the babyвЂ™s soft spot near the front of the head to the back of the head.The types of craniosynostosis depend on what sutures join together early. This can lead to a build-up of pressure inside the skull. In these instances, the brain might not have enough room to grow to its usual size. Sometimes, though, more than one suture closes too early. When that happens, the skull will have an abnormal shape, although the brain inside the skull has grown to its usual size. In the other parts of the skull where the sutures have not joined together, the babyвЂ™s head will continue to grow.

When a suture closes and the skull bones join together too soon, the babyвЂ™s head will stop growing in only that part of the skull. This can limit or slow the growth of the babyвЂ™s brain. When this occurs, the suture is said to вЂњclose.вЂќ In a baby with craniosynostosis, one or more of the sutures closes too early. Around two years of age, a childвЂ™s skull bones begin to join together because the sutures become bone. These sutures allow the skull to grow as the babyвЂ™s brain grows. The spaces between a typical babyвЂ™s skull bones are filled with flexible material and called sutures. As the babyвЂ™s brain grows, the skull can become more misshapen. This happens before the babyвЂ™s brain is fully formed. Click here to view a larger image What is Craniosynostosis?Д¬raniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a babyвЂ™s skull join together too early.

Babies heads misshapen