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Craniostenoses are a group of cephalic disorders in which the plates of the cranium in children fuse prematurely, resulting in deformities of the skull. In patients, these conditions are usually present at (or even before) birth.

Craniostenoses are categorised according to the suture that fuses prematurely (in the cranium, the plates are initially joined by fibrous sutures).

• Oxycephaly

• Plagiocephaly

• Brachycephaly

• Scaphocephaly

• Trigonocephaly

This is another group of less common cephalic disorders. Craniostenoses are deformities of the skull caused by the premature fusion or joining together of the cranial sutures. Cranial sutures are fibrous joints that join the bones of the skull together. The nature of these deformities depends on which sutures are affected.

Closure of a single suture is most common. The abnormally shaped skull that results is due to the brain not being able to grow in its natural shape because of the closure. Instead it compensates with growth in areas of the skull where the cranial sutures have not yet closed. The condition can be genetic, or caused by metabolic diseases, such as rickets or an overactive thyroid. Some cases are associated with other disorders such as microcephaly (abnormally small head) and hydrocephalus (excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain). The first sign of craniosynostosis is an abnormally shaped skull. Other features can include signs of increased intracranial pressure, developmental delays, or mental retardation, which are caused by constriction of the growing brain. Seizures and blindness may also occur. Genetic testing may be offered to determine the cause and recurrence risk.

• Craniosynostosis

• NINDS Overview
• An adult survivor's perspective