Here's the scoop...

So it's been a rough few days around the Davidson house. I'll give you the highlights of a long story- at Cade's four month check-up, his head circumference had not changed since his two month check-up. The feeling was that someone had measured wrong at two months, so we went back at five months for a head check. At this check, his head measured just 1/2 cm larger than it had previously, indicating that his head had only grown 1/2 cm in three months, and had progressively fallen off the growth chart (FYI: a baby's head is supposed to grow about 1/2 inch per month with the most rapid growth occurring in the first four months of life). This obviously raised some concerns, so they sent us for an xray to see if his sutures had closed prematurely. The xray came back normal, so they decided to send us for an ultrasound of the brain to make sure all parts of his brain were there. Needless to say, we were nervous wrecks over the weekend, worrying about all the possible things that could be wrong. When we went for the ultrasound on Tuesday, they were not able to find his "soft spot" and could not do the test, so a CT scan was ordered instead. The CT scan ended up showing what the xray did not, that his fontanel (which is supposed to stay open until 18 months) has already closed and the sutures along the front of his skull have already hardened. The medical jargon for this condition is "metopic craniosynostosis". If left untreated, this could possibly restrict brain growth or, if the brain continues to grow normally while the head does not, the pressure inside the head will continue to increase and potentially cause an array of serious problems. SO.... we have been referred to a neurosurgeon and a plastic surgeon to decide where to go from here. Best case scenario is that his head will start to grow, just abnormally-shaped, and he may have to have it remolded via a helmet or something of the sort. Worst case scenario is major surgery to remove and reshape part of the skull to allow for proper growth. Neither is something that we look forward to, but we are obviously hoping for the best case scenario.

PLEASE, please pray for Cade, that his little head will begin to grow and there will be no long-term effects on his brain development. Please pray for guidance and wisdom for the doctors, that they may make the right decisions regarding his case. And please pray for Chris and me, for strength and faith and that our hearts can be at peace with the situation. We'll keep you posted...

"I will bless the Lord who strengthens me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me." Psalms 16: 7-8