Sutures - ridged

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Skull of a newborn

Ridged sutures

Home care depends on the condition causing the premature closure of sutures.

Contact your health care provider if:

• You notice a ridge along the suture line of your child's head
• You think that your child has an abnormal head shape

Your health care provider will get a medical history and will do a physical examination.

Medical history questions might include:

• When did you first notice that the skull seemed to have ridges in it?
• What do the soft spots (fontanelles) look like?
• Have the fontanelles closed? At what age did they close?
• What other symptoms are present?
• How has your child been developing?

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Your health care provider will begin with an examination of the skull to see if there is ridging. If there is ridging, the child might need x-rays or other types of scans of the skull to show whether the sutures have closed too early.

Although your health care provider keeps records from routine examinations, you may find it helpful to keep your own records of your child's development. You will want to bring these records to your health care provider's attention if you notice anything unusual.

Review Date: 01/24/2011
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).