MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Craniotabes

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Craniotabes

Contents of this page:
Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests	Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider Prevention

Alternative names

Congenital cranial osteoporosis

Definition Return to top

Craniotabes is a softening of the skull bones.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Craniotabes can be a normal finding in infants, especially premature infants. Studies suggest it occurs in up to one third of all newborn infants. Typically craniotabes is demonstrated by pressing the bone along the suture line (the area where the bones of the skull come together). The bone often pops in and out (similar to pressing on a Ping-Pong ball).

Craniotabes is a harmless finding in the newborn, unless it is associated with other problems, such as rickets and osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones).

Symptoms Return to top

soft areas of the skull, especially along the suture line which pop in and out like a squeezed Ping-Pong ball
bones may feel soft and thin along the suture lines and flex very easily

Signs and tests Return to top

No testing is done unless osteogenesis imperfecta or rickets is suspected.

Treatment Return to top

Craniotabes, not associated with other conditions, should not be treated.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

Complete healing is expected.

Complications Return to top

There are usually no complications.

Calling your health care provider Return to top

This finding is usually discovered when the baby is examined during a well-baby check. Call your health care provider if you notice that your child has signs of craniotabes (to rule out other problems).

Prevention Return to top

Most of the time, craniotabes is not preventable (except when associated with rickets and osteogenesis imperfecta).

Update Date: 10/30/2003

Updated by: Philip L. Graham III, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of New York, Columbia University, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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