The Craniofacial Clinic provides diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired craniofacial anomalies. Our team of experts has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of craniofacial anomalies; we treat over 700 children each year for craniofacial anomalies.

Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital has the only Level I Regional Pediatric Trauma Center of its kind in northern Ohio.

What are craniofacial anomalies?
Craniofacial anomalies are bony disorders of the face and skeleton. Some of the specific craniofacial anomalies and treatments Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital specializes in are:

• Craniosynostosis—a birth defect caused by premature fusion of skull bones
• Positional plagiocephaly—a change in head shape caused by external pressure on the skull
• Hemifacial microsomia— A small or underdeveloped part of the face
• Orbital reconstruction
• Craniomaxillofacial trauma—any trauma involving the head
• Distraction osteogenesis— a surgical process to reconstruct skeletal deformities and lengthen bones
• Crouzon, Apert and Pfeiffer syndromes— rare genetic syndromes that have craniofacial anomalies

What causes craniofacial anomalies?
The cause of a craniofacial anomaly depends on what type it is. For example, no one knows why some children have craniosynostosis. Most children with craniosynostosis have no family history of the condition, and have only one suture affected. Rare forms of craniosynostosis, such as Crouzon, Apert and Pfeiffer, can sometimes occur as part of a genetic syndrome.

Positional plagiocephaly is caused by pressure on the skull before or after birth due to a constricted position in the womb or by how a baby likes to lie in the first several months of life.

Craniofacial microsomia is the second most common birth defect after cleft lip and palate. It is unknown why children are born with craniofacial microsomia. Studies suggest that something affects the development of the face during early pregnancy because the process starts in the first three months. However, it is clear that craniofacial microsomia is not caused by anything the parent did or did not do.

How are craniofacial anomalies treated?
Rainbow’s Craniofacial Clinic takes a multi-disciplinary approach to treating craniofacial anomalies. This means that specialists from different areas come together and work in tandem to make sure your child receives the most comprehensive care possible.

In one time-saving day, your child will be assessed by a team of specialists in these areas:

• neurosurgery
• plastic surgery
• otolaryngology
• pediatric dentistry
• orthodontics
• oral maxillofacial surgery
• genetics
• developmental pediatrics
• audiology
• speech therapy and occupational therapy

Afterward, the team meets and outlines a treatment plan based on the entire team’s evaluations. At Rainbow’s Craniofacial Clinic, we recognize that each child is unique, and we create a treatment plan that is right for his or her individual needs.

Throughout treatment and as the child matures, our team of specialists evaluates your child's progress on medical/dental plans, growth and development, and speech, language and hearing.

Every case is handled by a nurse coordinator who is familiar with your child’s history. The nurse coordinator will be your main contact, answering questions and helping you and your child navigate the Craniofacial Clinic. At Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, we want to make sure you are an informed participant at every stage of your child’s treatment.