where the plates fuse too early? just found out that my 17mos old should have surgery to correct it and im wondering if there is anyone out there who has experienced it as well (or as an adult)

That happened to me when I was a baby. I only know what I've been told: I had to have surgery and a piece of plastic was put in my head to make it shape right. They were going to go in again to remove the plastic, but they never did. I have a scar from ear to ear. That was about 33 years ago, I'm sure the procedure is way more advanced now. I guess if it isn't corrected, the head will be very oddly shaped, I really don't know the details. Best wishes to you, keep it positive

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I'm sorry you and you little one have to go through this. I don't know anyone who has, but met up w/ a family at the hospital when ds was getting his surgery for something else.

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I know a girl whose baby had this done. They say they have to do it because if not then the brain doesn't have enough room to grow. He came through with flying colors although his eyes were swollen shut for about 3-4 days and he was black and blue on his head and face. He's fine now though and it's like it never happened.

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One of my best friend's had a nephew who had this done. He had it done quite a few years ago and is fine now. It's scary I'm sure, but I think the outcome is usually really good. Good luck!!

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My now 5 yr. old is a plagio baby. She was diagnosed with plagiocephaly at almost 1 year old, and I wish we'd caught it sooner. She wore a cranial molding helmet to correct it. She was tested for cranio and luckily did not have it. There are some great groups on yahoo and also this is a wonderful site to check out too: cappskids.org.

Please let me know if I can be of any further help, I have tons of info filed away on the subject.

I was doing some other research and stumbled upon this post and wanted to reply. I'm a 35-year-old man whose plates were already fused when I was born. Because they were fused so early, I had to have corrective surgery at about 6 weeks of age. I'm told that as an infant I cried fiercely, but I have no recollection of any of it.

While previous surgeries involved putting a plate inside, I think there were some complications in some of those cases, and surgeons were beginning to perform it without any plate, letting the bones heal naturally. I had no plate, and the surgery was quite successful.

In most cases, the "seam" that closed early runs up the middle of the head. I have a scar where the cut was, and I can feel something like a groove where the two halves of my skull grew back together. It is invisible under my hair. The surgeon made a slightly zigzagged cut, which actually helps the hair hide the scar more than if it were a straight line. Now that my hair is receding and I'm thinking of shaving my head, I'm actually a little curious what it really looks like.

Oh, and if I'm going to be out in bright sun for a long time, I remember to put a little suntan lotion over the scar. Sometimes swimming etc. exposes enough of it that it can get sunburnt. Remember that and I think your child will be fine.

My son was diagnosed at 2 weeks old. They did corrective surgery when he was 2 months old. He'll be 10 years old next month. He does have a jig-jag scar across the top of his head from ear to ear. His surgery was done at Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville Florida. If there is any other info you might want you can email me. whislyndixee@aol.com.

Dixee

wow! an old posting of mine! thank you for the info dixee, my daughter had her surgery already (in july) and all is well!