Update on my son (Craniosynostosis surgery in July 2014)

Cliffsnotes up front for those who remember last year's thread: No more helmet!
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Here's the long thread from last year: LINK

Last summer, after a CT scan and some neurosurgeon appointments, my 2-month-old son was diagnosed with right lambdoid craniosynostosis, which is the premature fusion of a suture on an infant's skull.

This is a CT scan of his skull:



The treatment for this was surgery to cut and remove a strip of his skull, opening the suture and allowing his brain to expand evenly. Part of the after-care involved wearing a surgical helmet for nearly 24 hours a day for about a year, which helps the skull expand to a rounded, more symmetrical shape as he grows.

That's him in his first helmet.


He eventually outgrew that one and got fitted for a second. No worries; they're only 4 grand a piece. What a steal! (kidding, insurance took care of most of it without issue).

I think the helmet was harder on us than it was on him. He never seemed to mind it, even when it gave him rashes and irritation from pressure. But thankfully, for the last few months' appointments at the orthotics center, his symmetry and cephalic index numbers were within normal range, and were maintained during a month where he wore the helmet only at night, so he is officially done with the helmet. Just in time, too, because his hair's getting long and it's going to get hot after all this rain goes away.

Pic taken today:


His ears are still uneven, but the neurosurgeon said that would be the last thing to correct itself over time, by age 4 or 5.

It's definitely a relief to be done with the helmet. Not quite out of the woods yet, though. The craniosynostosis (and the weight of the subsequent helmet) has caused a few gross motor delays, as well as torticollis (tightened muscles on one side of his neck). He's almost 15 months and not yet walking, and he didn't start crawling until a couple months ago. He's been in physical therapy for about 6 months and has made a good bit of progress since then, and I suspect he'll accelerate even faster now that the helmet's gone completely. Just in the last month, when he wore the helmet only part time, he's become much more adept at crawling and can pull himself up to stand. Also not saying anything besides "dada" yet, but it's still a little too early to determine whether he'll need speech therapy.


TL;DR -- baby boy had surgery on his skull in July 2014, had to wear a corrective helmet 24 hours a day, and now it's off.