6 month old w/poss metopic??

[acjerome]

Hi... We went last week to a craniofacial specialist and had a ct done, my 6month old sons head circumference dropped from 25% at two months to below the growth chart at 6months, and he has a metopic ridge that is I would say pretty prominent.

The specialist said that it isnt effecting the brain or causing any head deformity other than the ridge, so he wanted to look at him again in acouple months to see if there is any changes....

We talked with our primary physician and he didnt want us to wait, so we are scheduled to see a neurosurgeon thursday morning....

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this?? And what u think on waiting to see if it starts affecting his brain development vs. getting surgery before it does?
Also if the suture is already closed, how does the front of his head or forehead grow?? Or will it start to become triangular?? I really dont want to wait on surgery if that is what he is going to end up needing in the long run! Help!!!!

[Max's Mommy]

First of all....breathe. This is a very common concern here in cranio world. I want to try and get things correct.....does your child have a ridge or is there a triangular shape or narrowing of the forehead at all. When the Metopic is involved, very often physicians may be quick to dismiss this as "cosmetic". We have discussed recently that using the term cosmetic can give parents a feeling of anxiety and lead them to a path of uncertainty.
If your child has a "ridge" with NO Triginocephaly - then this is considered a Metopic ridge but NOT Craniosynostosis. Because the Metopic suture and when it fuses is debatable - doctors will (SHOULD) use the shape of the infant's skull, developmental milestones, baby's disposition and vision (eye placement) to determine whether or not a child is a candidate for surgery.

If your baby has a triangular shape to his skull - chances are that yes it will worsen with time. A ridge may get better with time but skull shape will continue to change with the rapid growing brain.

Email me or call.

[Lukeysmommy]

Hi & Welcome!

My son has a metopic ridge, as Amy described above. He is almost 2 and requires no surgery or intervention of any kind. He has met all his developmental milestones and we are no longer concerned but it did take meeting with the NS for me to feel comfortable with this diagnosis. I don't think it would hurt for you to see the NS to see if he agrees with the specialist you saw already. Do you have any pictures you can post of your little guy's ridge?

[Danielle]

I agree with Amy!!
My son had severe metopic(trigoncephaly) and it was pretty obvious from when he was born. Surgery for us was THE only option.

[Leighasmom]

Hi Welcome, I'm a coronal mom but just wanted to welcome you.

[angeleka]

Hi and welcome to CK.
Amy pretty much covered it.
If there is trig., or a triangular shape, this will not get better with time. If there is just a ridge, it may get better as the bones smooth out.
Getting the opinion of a NS is a good idea. If you are concerned about the opinion of the CFS, you can always get a second opinion. I warn you though, if one says no surgery and the other says yes to surgery you will only be more confused.
I don't like the wait and see approach, but sometimes it is all you can do. You do not want to do a needless surgery, but you don't want to wait until the brain is damaged... which is unlikely with one suture closing. If you could post some pics of your son we might be able to give you better opinions. Pics from above, especially when the head is wet are usually the best view.
My son was considered moderate metopic. He had trig, but he also had a few other concerning features. Does your son have any of these...... Arching eyebrows or dents above the brow line? Indents or pulling at the temple? These issues helped in our diagnosis, but are not always present.
Please keep us updates after your NS appointment.

[Gretchen]

I also agree with the other ladies. They hit the nail right on the top of the "head" so to speak. I am a coronal mom so I dont have much experience with metopic but as a cranio mom in general I know I didnt want to "wait and see" if things with developement would get worse nor did I want to see if he would become more disfigured or not. I knew for me that if we could correct the problem at the pass then that would be what we should do. Brandon is now 1 month post op and I am proud of his outcome and know that I DID THE RIGHT THING for our particular situation. Dont let this scare you, let this empoyer you. You are your baby's only advocate. We are here for you!

[Jodi Weir]

Hi,

I just wanted to welcome you here and offer support. You will find the members on this forum VERY well educated as they are coming from personal experiences with their own kids. You will find accurate answers to your questions here!

[Sawyer's_Mom]

Hi and welcome. You've found a great place for support and information. Do post some pics when you get a chance. My 6 month old son is metopic w/severe trigon. You are welcome to go and view his albums so you can compare a little to what you might be seeing with your son. We won't have surgery until he's between 10 to 11 months old. Sounds like you at least have a good pediatrician that is on the ball and trying to get some answers for you. Good luck at your appt!

[Sophia's_mom]

I just wanted to welcome you to CK. Amy gave you great information, you'll find lots of support and advice here. If you can post some pictures we've got some of the best "head pickers" around.