University of Iowa researchers have successfully tested a technique that stimulates a gene to prevent craniosynostosis, a condition that causes infants’ skulls to close prematurely.
Craniosynostosis occurs when one or more joints between the bones of a baby's skull close prematurely, leaving a lack of space for the growing brain to expand. This can cause deformities in head shape and facial appearance if not treated surgically. Some studies have stated the condition can occur in as many as 1 out of 2,200 live births.