Three-yr-old girl with deformed skull regains speech partially

MUMBAI: A three-year-old Dharavi girl, Sanjana Dantani, who suffered speech impairment owing to a rare genetic condition — crouzon syndrome — has partially regained her speech after a surgery conducted last year at a private hospital.

Sanjana was diagnosed with the condition four months ago at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital in Mahalaxmi. Due to the syndrome, her skull bones started to fuse prematurely leading to deformation of her skull along with developmental delays.

“Sanjana’s head was much bigger than the size of her face,” said Sanjana’s mother, Asha, 35.

Doctors at the hospital, who diagnosed the condition, said that Sanjana had speech problems because of her condition. “She could talk only in monosyllables (brief words), whereas children her age can construct proper sentences. The pressure on her brain was possibly affecting her vision too,” said Dr Sumeet Pawar, consultant neurosurgeon. Pawar’s team performed a surgery called craniotomy in which they operated Sanjana’s skull. “We found her brain to be bulging out,” he added. Doctors rearranged her skull bones, making way for her brain to grow. Three days ago, doctors found her conversing better. Meanwhile,drpradnyagadgil, neurologist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, said the condition is rare and is important to recognise the symptoms early.

According to the Us-based National Organisation for Rare Disorders, the condition affects 16 children in a million.

LAST YEAR DOCTORS REARRANGED HER SKULL BONES, MAKING WAY FOR HER BRAIN TO GROW. THREE DAYS AGO, THEY FOUND HER TO BE CONVERSING BETTER