I need to step away from Dr. Google

KRT

I really just need to vent.  DS has his 9 month appt tomorrow.  This past weekend, DH rubbed DS's head and asked me to feel it.  Right on the top of his skull is a ridge.  I can still feel his soft spot which is kind of behind it.  I made the mistake of googling it and am worried he may have craniostynosis.  DD wore a helmet due to plagiocephaly so I already knew a bit about it based on the literature we got from Cranial Technologies which covers all plagiocephaly, etc.

I have to be honest, I am freaking out.  It doesn't help that I have a natural tendency towards anxiety.  I can't believe I haven't noticed the ridge before and I have no idea how long it has been there.  All the websites discussed surgery to break the fused skull suture, etc; problems with brain development if left untreated, etc.

I keep hoping and praying it is nothing.  I tried to talk to DH last night and tonight about my concerns and he basically said that he thinks something is going on and that it doesn't seem normal and to just wait and see what the pedi says.  I am so scared she is going to send us to a neurologist or to get a CT scan or x-ray and they will find something wrong.  I wish I could be as calm about it as DH.

DS seems to be fine developmentally.  He sits up, crawls, pulls up and even cruises around the coffee table and his crib.  He babbles and says da da, ba ba, ma ma, etc.  We will see what tomorrow brings.

Why oh why do I Google this stuff!  Ugh!

GreenFlamingo7

Can you feel a ridge, or are you feeling the edge of the bone, where it meets with the suture?

Don't stress. Just ask tomorrow, and discuss with your pedi. Dr. Google is not your friend.

KRT

I'm not sure - to me it feels like a ridge vs. the edge of a bone where it meets the suture.  When I tried to find info on that specific type of ridge, I kept reading about a metopic ridge but that seems to be apparent from the bridge of the nose up the forehead and DS does not have this.  It feels like what a metopic ridge looks like in pictures (if that makes sense) but his starts at his hairline at the top of his head not his forehead.  I can also still feel his soft spot.  I also do not see any skull deformities.  With DD, her plagiocephaly was apparent at birth and very much so at 4 months when she started treatment.

 

HLPMama25

My son is almost 8 months and has this.  Although, I can see it running down his forehead.  I don't think you would notice it unless I pointed it out.  I called the pedi freaking out.  He said not to worry about it and that I could come in if I wanted to.  I tried not to freak anymore, but found myself at the pedi a week later.  He said it was completely fine.  I asked him if he was sure, he said yes.  I am still very worried about it and I am just trying to keep my eye on it.  From my understanding, there is a difference from having a ridge than full blown "cranio"  The cranio is where the head would be shaped like a triangle from when you were looking down on it.  I am not a doctor though.  The ridge is definitely scary, but my pedi said it was fine.  Let's hope he is right.

KRT

HLPMama25:

My son is almost 8 months and has this.  Although, I can see it running down his forehead.  I don't think you would notice it unless I pointed it out.  I called the pedi freaking out.  He said not to worry about it and that I could come in if I wanted to.  I tried not to freak anymore, but found myself at the pedi a week later.  He said it was completely fine.  I asked him if he was sure, he said yes.  I am still very worried about it and I am just trying to keep my eye on it.  From my understanding, there is a difference from having a ridge than full blown "cranio"  The cranio is where the head would be shaped like a triangle from when you were looking down on it.  I am not a doctor though.  The ridge is definitely scary, but my pedi said it was fine.  Let's hope he is right.

I am so glad to hear your LO is OK.  This makes me feel a bit better.  How old was your DS when you noticed it?  I don't notice any other "symptoms" of cranio at this time.  It just really freaked me out, especially since DH noticed it and he didn't even notice DD's moderate plagiocephaly which was quite obvious.  Is your pedi going to continue to monitor?  Did he say anything about a CT scan or x-ray in the future?  Can you still feel your LOs soft spot on the top of his skull? 

HLPMama25

Hi--my pedi did not seem concerned in the slightest bit.  I will obviously inquire again at his 9 month appt. which will be in Nov.  He did not mention anything about a scan or anything.  I was all ready to ask to see a neurosurgeon because I was so freaked out by google.  Google is evil!!  To make you feel better, my friend's 10 month old son, also has a small ridge in the same spot.  It is definitely not as prominent as my son's but it is there.  I can still feel the soft spot there, it is probably the size of a dime.  Also, his head has been growing along the same percentile I guess and the pedi said he would have been more concerned if it was not growing.  His head is also round.