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Growth of the skull in young children in Baotou, China
Hai-dong Hou1, Ming Liu, Ke-rui Gong
1Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, 014060, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Optimal skull repair for Chinese children is determined by growth rates. Avoid surgery in infants under one year due to rapid skull growth; consider procedures for children aged three and older when growth stabilizes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Craniofacial development
- Growth and development studies
Background:
- Controversy exists regarding the optimal timing for skull repair in young Chinese children.
- Rapid skull growth in early childhood complicates surgical timing decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize skull growth patterns in young Chinese children.
- To determine the optimal age for skull repair in pediatric patients with skull defects.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 112 children over six years (starting 2006).
- Measurements included cranial length (CL), cranial width (CW), ear over top line (EOTL), eyebrows-posterior tuberosity line (EPTL), and head circumference (HC).
Main Results:
- The most rapid skull growth occurs within the first year of life.
- Subsequent rapid growth periods are observed in the second and third years.
- Skull growth significantly slows by age six, approaching adult values.
Conclusions:
- Skull repair is not recommended for children aged 0-1 years due to rapid cranial development.
- Children aged three years and older present with skull growth indices similar to adults, suggesting this as a suitable age for surgical intervention.
Background:
There are some controversies about the optimal time to perform skull repair in very young Chinese children because of the rapid skull growth in this stage of life. The purpose of this current study is to describe the characteristics of skull growth and to discuss the optimal time for skull repair in young Chinese children with skull defects.
Methods:
A total of 112 children born in the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College were measured for six consecutive years starting in 2006. Cranial length (CL, linear distance between the eyebrows to the pillow tuberosity), cranial width (CW, double-sided linear distance of connection of external auditory canal), ear over the top line (EOTL), the eyebrows-the posterior tuberosity line (EPTL), and head circumference (HC) were measured to describe the skull growth.
Results:
The most rapid period of skull growth occurs during the first year of life. The second and third most rapid periods are the second and third years, respectively. Then, the skull growth slowed and the values of the skull growth index of 6-year-old children were close to those of adults.
Conclusion:
Children 0-1 years old should not receive skull repair due to their rapid skull growth. The indexes of children 3 years old or older were close to those of the adult; therefore, 3 years old or older may receive skull repair.
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