LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF MENTAL-DEVELOPMENT IN INFANTS WITH NONSYNDROMIC CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS WITH AND WITHOUT CRANIAL RELEASE AND RECONSTRUCTION

The effect of cranial release and reconstruction on the mental develop ment of infants with nonsyndromic craniosynostosis was evaluated. Long itudinal assessment of mental development for infants before and after cranial release and reconstruction and for infants not undergoing sur gical treatment was obtained by using the mental scale of the Bayley S cales of Infant Development. Severity of anatomic craniofacial deformi ty, perinatal medical risk factors, and age at time of surgery also we re investigated. None of the infants displayed mental retardation [Men tal Development Index (MDI) score < 70] before or after cranial releas e and reconstruction. Scores ranged from borderline retardation to ver y superior following a normal distribution. Severity of anatomic crani ofacial deformity and perinatal risk factors were unrelated to mental development. Cranial release and reconstruction did not affect mental development positively or negatively but did result in improvement of the original craniofacial deformity.