Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
Published on: November 4, 2025
Analysis of individualized education programs to quantify long-term educational needs following surgical intervention
Laura J Doshier1, Arshad R Muzaffar1, Kathleen Km Deidrick1
1Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
Insights
Children with single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) often require individualized education programs (IEPs) for academic and behavioral support, even after surgery. This study found a significantly higher need for IEPs in SSC patients compared to the general student population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) is a prevalent craniofacial condition.
- SSC can lead to neurocognitive deficits and developmental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess long-term academic and behavioral difficulties in children with SSC.
- To determine the need for individualized education programs (IEPs) post-surgical intervention for SSC.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of school-age patients treated for SSC between 1992 and 2011.
- Informed consent obtained from guardians for a mailed questionnaire on patient history and educational support.
- Primary outcome: history of receiving educational support via an IEP.
Main Results:
- A 62.7% response rate from 37 guardians of patients aged 5-14 years.
- Eleven patients (29.7%) had a history of or were currently receiving IEP services.
- The proportion of SSC patients with IEPs was higher than in the general US student population (11.3%).
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of school-age children with a history of single-suture craniosynostosis require specialized educational support.
- The findings highlight potential long-term neurocognitive sequelae impacting academic and behavioral functioning in SSC patients.
- Further research into targeted interventions for this population is warranted.
Background:
Single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) is a common craniofacial condition with potential neurocognitive sequelae.
Objective:
To quantify any long-term functional academic and behavioural difficulties of children with SSC as indicated by the need for individualized education programs (IEPs), despite having undergone surgical treatment.
Methods:
Records of all school-age patients from 1992 to 2011 who underwent operative intervention for SSC were identified. Fifty-nine patients' guardians were contacted by telephone to provide informed consent for completion of a mailed standardized questionnaire querying demographic information as well as information regarding the patient's health, family and educational history; specifically whether the patient had ever been provided educational support as delineated in an IEP. The primary outcome measure was the history of the patient being assigned educational support as delineated in an IEP.
Results:
Thirty-seven consenting guardians completed and returned the standardized questionnaire (response rate 62.7%). Twenty-one patients were male and 16 were female, with an age range of five to 14 years (mean age 10.2 years). Eleven (29.7%) patients had a previous history of or currently were receiving educational support delineated in an IEP.
Conclusions:
A higher proportion of school-age patients with a history of SSC (status postsurgical intervention) in the present study received educational support delineated in an IEP than the proportion of IEPs in the general student population of the United States (11.3%).
