Maximus was born November 16, 2011 and I was so happy to have a son. Birth was normal on my end however; my husband said something was very different about his head during his arrival. He said it just didn’t look the same as when our daughter was born. I didn’t understand until much later what this had meant.
I watched Max’s head take on a different shape over the next few months compared to our daughter’s. Everyone told me that babies were all different and I shouldn’t compare but the shape just didn’t seem right to me. At 4 months of age, he had an x-ray and a CT scan and we were referred to a neurosurgeon. We were told Max had sagittal craniosynostosis and at 6 months of age the neurosurgeon said it was cosmetic and to come back when he was a year old. I left the office unsettled with his conclusion and I spent the next few days with Google. I came across a doctor in Toronto and requested a second opinion with him. When Max was 8 months we travelled to Sick Kids for our consultation with Dr. Forrest. Max had total cranial vault remodeling on his 11th month birthday. It is 10 days before his 1st birthday when I write this and we are 20 days after surgery. His hair hides the incision well enough that nobody would know anything different about him.
I am very thankful to Cranio Care Bears for providing the forum to meet other families as well as introducing me to other organizations. I am also very thankful that other parents have taken the time to share their journey. I have learned (and continue to learn) so much from you all.
For families in Canada dealing with craniosynostosis and choosing Sick Kids, please know that your family is in a great place.
