Keith’s story: Conquering craniosynostosis

Keith Frey was diagnosed with scaphocephaly when he was only two months old. Scaphocephaly is a form of craniosynostosis, a condition where the joints between the bones in a newborn’s skull close too early and affect the shape of the head. Keith’s parents had never heard of craniosynostosis, so they began investigating the condition on the web. 

They talked to other families who had children with the diagnosis and spent time in chat rooms learning about the condition. From there, they decided to see several doctors to find the best doctor for Keith. 

Their search ended with craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Rhodes and pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gary Tye at our Center for Craniofacial Care: 

“Dr. Rhodes took time to make sure we understood our son’s condition and the medical plan for him. She is very thorough. We were considering another medical facility, but after meeting with Dr. Rhodes, we knew our son needed to be at Children's Hospital of Richmond.”

He was only six months old when he underwent surgery, and according to his mom, “Keith had his surgery on a Wednesday and we were home with him on Friday evening.”

Learn more about Keith and his sister Evelyn, who also underwent craniofacial surgery.