Craniofacial Awareness Month

September is Craniofacial Awareness Month. And since I have two boys effected by craniofacial issues, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk a little bit about it.

What is a craniofacial disorder?

A craniofacial disorder refers to an abnormality of the face and/or the head. Craniofacial differences can result from abnormal growth patterns of the face or skull, which involves soft tissue and bones. A craniofacial condition may include disfigurement brought about by birth defect, disease or trauma.

Benjamin had craniosynostosis. That particular deformity causes the sutures of the head (soft spots) to close too early, leaving the rapidly growing brain squished. Benjamin's head was growing, but not the way it should. His head wasn't growing any wider, it was just growing out, causing his forehead to protrude.

Timothy, as I'm sure you all remember, had a unilateral incomplete cleft lip.

We were unaware of either of the deformities till after the boys were born.

Though the process of dealing with the deformities has been a tough one at times, our family has much to be thankful for. Not once were the boys in life threatening situations. Though Benjamin's squished brain could have caused a host of issues, it didn't. Timothy's cleft could have been so much worse, but it wasn't. Both boys have undergone major surgeries to fix these deformities, and have done very well through surgery and recovery.

While we are abundantly thankful for God's protection, it's been hard. It hasn't always been an easy or pleasant journey. So this month, I was to take time to share with you my thoughts and experiences in hope of shedding more light on these issues.