Infant HelmetsCraniosynostosis is a condition that occurs when one or more of the cranial sutures in the skull fuses too early, affecting approximately one in 2,000 infants.

What Are the Symptoms?

One of the first signs that parents will often notice is that their baby has a misshapen head. There are a few other things that can cause a misshapen head, such as the cone-shaped appearance a baby’s head may have right after birth from traveling through the birth canal, or a flat spot on the back of the head from a lack of tummy time.

Therefore, it’s important to visit your doctor if you suspect any abnormalities to get a proper diagnosis.

Another sign of craniosynostosis is a missing fontanelle, commonly known of as a soft spot. The soft spot is the space that is filled in when the cranial sutures fuse. If you notice that your infant is missing a soft spot or if there is a ridge where the soft spot should be, this is a sign that he or she may have craniosynostosis.

The final sign is a lack of head growth or extremely slow head growth. At your infant’s pediatrician visits, the doctor will measure their head circumference and chart the growth.

What Are the Risks?

The prognosis is good for infants who are diagnosed early. However, if left untreated craniosynostosis can cause dangerously high pressure in the brain or even developmental delays. The brain is still growing in infants and needs enough room to properly expand.

How Is Craniosynostosis Treated?

The first step in treating craniosynostosis is surgery. During surgery the fused bone is removed, opening up space for the skull to grow. The younger the child is at the time of surgery, the better. The surgeon can use smaller incisions and the growing brain can help reshape the skull as the child gets older.

After surgery, the child will need to wear a special helmet for up to a year to reshape the head. This helmet is typically worn 24 hours a day so comfort and proper fit is very important - this is where BioTech comes in!

BioTech Can Create a Custom Device for Cranial Remodeling

If your child has been diagnosed with craniosynostosis, BioTech can help create a custom helmet for your little one.

We create a 3D scan of the child’s head that records detailed measurements. This is a non-invasive, pain-free procedure that allows us to create a comfortable helmet.

The child is then fitted with a lightweight, plastic and foam orthosis to remold the head into the proper shape.

Contact BioTech today and get a free evaluation from our cranial remolding center.