scaphocephaly
Noun: A congenital condition characterized by an abnormally long and narrow skull shape, resulting from the premature fusion of the sagittal suture. This condition is often associated with developmental delays or intellectual disability.
The term is used in medical and clinical contexts to describe a specific type of craniosynostosis (the premature fusion of skull bones).
Examples: * The infant's scaphocephaly was diagnosed shortly after birth. * Surgery is often recommended to correct scaphocephaly and allow for normal brain growth. * The study examined the correlation between scaphocephaly and cognitive outcomes.
- Scaphocephalic (adjective): Describing the features or characteristics of this condition.
- The patient exhibited a scaphocephalic head shape.
- Scaphocephalic (adj.): Pertaining to or affected by scaphocephaly.
- Dolichocephaly (n.): A similar term for a long, narrow head shape, which can be a normal anatomical variant and not necessarily due to premature suture fusion.
- Craniosynostosis (n.): The broader medical category for premature skull suture fusion, of which scaphocephaly is one type.
- Sagittal craniosynostosis (more specific medical term)
- Dolichocephaly (in some clinical contexts, though this term can be broader)
The definition specifies that scaphocephaly is a congenital malformation (present at birth) and is frequently accompanied by mental retardation (an outdated term; modern usage prefers "intellectual disability" or "developmental delay"). It is crucial to understand that while associated risks exist, not every individual with scaphocephaly will have intellectual impairments, especially with early intervention and treatment.
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congenital malformation of the skull which is long and narrow; frequently accompanied by mental retardation
