On February 3rd, Ryder had a CT scan to make sure the shape of his head wasn't anything abnormal and that it was caused because of how he was sitting during pregnancy. We received a phone call with the results of his scans. He was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis, a rare condition where the joints that hold the skull bones together close prematurely and prevent normal growth for the brain and the skull. The form of craniosynostosis that he has is Trigonocephaly, the metopic suture which runs from the top of the head to the middle of the forehead. This causes a triangular-shaped forehead.
We were told we would have to meet with a neurosurgeon to correct the problem. We met with a neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon at Gillette's Children's Hospital in St. Paul, MN on February 23rd. He will have to have surgery to reshape his skull and allow for proper brain growth.
Ryder's surgery will take place on July 21st at 1:00. They will remove his front skull bones and reshape them with plates and screws that will dissolve over time. It will take approximately 2 hours for surgery. After surgery he will be taken to recovery then to PICU for the night. The next morning he will be moved into his regular room until we are ready to go home. He will be in the hospital for at least four days.
After surgery, we will have to go back for a follow-up after 3 weeks, 9 months, and then once a year until he is 9 to ensure that it is not reoccurring.
If you would like to read more about Ryder's condition go to
http://www.gillettechildrens.org/conditions-and-care/craniosynostosis/We are creating this page so everyone can come to this one place for updates throughout surgery and during his recovery. We appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers through Ryder's journey.
