Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
Published on: November 4, 2025
Multisite study of infants with single-suture craniosynostosis: preliminary report of presurgery development
Kathleen A Kapp-Simon1, Brian Leroux, Michael Cunningham
1Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. k-kapp-simon@northwestern.edu
Insights
Infants with single suture craniosynostosis show lower cognitive and language scores at diagnosis. Further research with control groups is needed to confirm developmental risks in these infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Developmental psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- Single suture craniosynostosis is a congenital condition affecting skull development.
- Early neurocognitive and language development in affected infants is not fully understood.
- This study investigates developmental outcomes at diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cognitive and language development in infants with single suture craniosynostosis.
- To establish baseline developmental assessments at the time of diagnosis.
- To identify potential developmental risks associated with the condition.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, multisite, longitudinal study of 100 infants with single suture craniosynostosis.
- Assessment using Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Mental Development Index [MDI], Psychomotor Developmental Index [PDI]).
- Evaluation with Preschool Language Scale (receptive [PLS-AC], expressive [PLS-EC]), maternal IQ (MAT-IQ), and socioeconomic status (SES).
Main Results:
- Infants scored significantly below normative data on MDI, PDI, PLS-AC, and PLS-EC.
- Score distributions differed significantly from expected norms.
- Maternal IQ and SES correlated with each other and inversely with life stress, but not infant development scores.
Conclusions:
- Infants with single suture craniosynostosis may face higher developmental risks than previously recognized.
- Findings suggest potential impacts on cognitive and language development.
- Control group data are essential for validating these preliminary findings.
Objective:
To evaluate the cognitive and language development of untreated infants with a single suture craniosynostosis at time of diagnosis.
Design And Participants:
The study presents time 1 assessments on the first 100 infants with a single suture craniosynostosis (sagittal, metopic, unilateral coronal, and lambdoid) referred to the Infant Learning Project, a prospective, multisite, longitudinal study evaluating neurocognitive development.
Main Outcome Measures:
Infants were assessed with the mental (Mental Development Index [MDI]) and motor scales (Psychomotor Developmental Index [PDI]) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Preschool Language Scale receptive (PLS-AC) and expressive (PLS-EC) language scales. Mothers completed the Parenting Stress Inventory, a brief measure of intelligence (maternal IQ [MAT-IQ]), and provided information regarding family socioeconomic status (SES).
Results:
As a group, infants scored significantly lower than the normative data on the MDI (91.9), PDI (83.5), PLS-AC (90.4), and PLS-EC (95.8), and the distribution of scores differed significantly from the expected distribution. MAT-IQ and SES were significantly correlated (.47, p < .01) with mothers of higher IQ coming from higher SES groups. Both MAT-IQ and SES were significantly negatively correlated with life stress events; however, neither MAT-IQ nor SES was correlated with any of the infant development scores.
Conclusions:
There may be a greater developmental risk for infants with a single suture craniosynostosis than previously believed. However, control group data will be necessary to confirm findings.
