Complex Craniofacial Disorders

Personalized Treatment From a Dedicated Team of Specialists

Meet Dr. Pearson

Dr. Gregory Pearson is the Director of the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders

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Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders

US News Badge Neurology and NeurosurgeryFacial differences caused by an injury or genetic condition can impact a child’s physical, social and emotional development, and often require reconstructive surgery. Whether your child is diagnosed with jaw abnormalities, facial trauma, craniosynostosis, plagiocephaly or Pierre Robin syndrome, the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders at Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers a comprehensive and compassionate approach to care, provided by experts who understand how children grow and heal. Each child that comes to the Center receives personalized treatment from an interdisciplinary team of specialists dedicated to restoring the child’s appearance and function, and meeting their long-term medical needs. Learn about the craniofacial anomalies that we treat at Nationwide Children's.

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About
Our Team
Conditions We Treat
Patient Stories
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Online Second Opinions

Collaborative Care 

The team of experts at the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders has treated thousands of children from birth to young adulthood who require highly specialized care and access to the kind of technology that can only be found at a nationally recognized hospital like Nationwide Children’s. Each child has a dedicated team of specialists who develops a coordinated, patient-centered plan of action based on the child’s specific needs. This team meets regularly to discuss the child’s long-term care, healing and quality of life, and monitors progress throughout childhood. Members of the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders team include:

Meet the Team

Meet Our Team

Children who come to the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders receive personalized treatment from an interdisciplinary team of specialists. Learn more about the team dedicated to restoring each child’s appearance and function, as well as meeting their long-term health care needs.
Meet Our Team

Conditions We Treat

Craniofacial anomalies are a diverse group of deformities in the growth of the head and facial bones. Our team expertly cares for children with many of these conditions including both non-syndromic and syndromic craniosynostosis such as Apert syndrome and Crouzon syndrome.

Learn More About Craniofacial Anomalies

Meet Our Patients

Tuck's Story

Tuck's Story

"You never envision your child on the operating table. But, at the end of the day, we did what was right. We had a great outcome and for that we'll forever be grateful to our care team," said Heather Lofy after her son, Tuck, had surgery to correct his craniosynostosis. Nationwide Children's Hospital is a high-volume center when treating craniosynostosis.

Meet Reagan

Reagan's Story

Raegan was born six weeks early. After her birth, Raegan was immediately transferred to Nationwide Children's Hospital where a team of doctors diagnosed her with a rare genetic disorder called Apert Syndrome.

Meet Liam

Meet Liam

Name: Liam C.
Condition(s): Cancer, Craniosynostosis
Age Today: 5 Years

Liam was born with 16p11.2 deletion syndrome and lots of resulting complications. When his family brought him to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for a surgery, his mom, Edna, noticed that the shape of his head didn’t seem normal. Liam was then diagnosed with metopic craniosynostosis.

Meet Michael

Meet Michael

Name: Michael P.
Condition(s): Craniosynostosis
Age Today: 5 Years

When Michael was born, the doctors had to use a vacuum extractor to assist in getting him out of the birth canal. That’s why, when his parents noticed that his head seemed misshapen, they assumed it was just a side effect. Eventually they noticed that the back of his head wasn’t shifting, and his head kept its oblong shape. When he was two months old it was confirmed that he had severe Sagittal craniosynostosis.

Meet Willow

Meet Willow

Name: Willow C.
Condition(s): Craniofacial Disorders
Age Today: 6 Years

When Willow was born, the doctors there noted that her eyes were set far apart, she had an indent in her nose, and the back of her head was very flat. Two weeks later the family traveled to Nationwide Children's Hospital and it was discovered that her cranial sutures (bones in the skull) were closed.

Locations

Main Campus

Main Campus

Online Second Opinions

Dr. Armstrong

Online Second Opinions

Our team is proud to offer online second opinions for patients everywhere. If you are currently receiving care at another institution and would like a second opinion from experts at Nationwide Children’s, please visit our Online Second Opinion Program.

Inside the Center for Craniofacial Disorders

Meet Our Team

Our team of experts has treated thousands of children from birth to young adulthood who require highly specialized care.

Speak With Our Team

Questions? Concerns? Contact the Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders team.

Craniofacial Anomalies

Craniofacial anomalies are a diverse group of deformities in the growth of the head and facial bones.

Craniofacial Resources

Check out resources that can be helpful during your child's stay with the Center for Craniofacial Disorders.

During Your Visit

Learn more about what to expect before, during and after your visit with the Center for Craniofacial Disorders.

Psychosocial Services

When a child is born with a cleft lip and/or palate or any craniofacial condition, the emotional health and well-being of the child and family are just as important as the child’s medical care.

Treatments and Procedures

The Center for Complex Craniofacial Disorders offers a number of surgical treatments for pediatric patients. Learn more about box osteotomy, calvarial vault remodeling/fronto-orbital advancement, facial bipartition, LeFort 3 distraction and orthognathic surgery.

Related Specialties

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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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Neurosurgery
Orthodontic Treatment Program

Orthodontic Treatment Program
Dr Khansa
Video

Meet Dr. Khansa

After discovering how transformative craniofacial surgery can be, Dr. Ibrahim Khansa knew it was his purpose in life.

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Additional Resources

Blog Bullying of Kids With Craniofacial Differences
Blog

Craniofacial Differences: Teaching Kids How to Respond to Bullies

While teasing and bullying are concerns for all parents, children with craniofacial conditions may be especially vulnerable because of the visibility of their facial appearance differences and speech or learning. Learn about some practical strategies that parents can use to support their child’s confidence in social situations and help manage teasing and bullying.

Pediacast
Podcast

Pediacast 368: Abnormal Baby Heads

Dr Gregory Pearson stops by the PediaCast Studio to talk about abnormalities of the infant head. We consider microcephaly and macrocephaly, along with the diagnosis and management of positional plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis. Big complex names, yes; but also fairly common problems.

Blog

Microcephaly: Definition and Treatment Options

The Zika Virus has garnered a lot of attention recently due to concerns for pregnant mothers who contract the virus and the risk of microcephaly in their newborns. Microcephaly is defined as a small head size which can result from improper brain growth during pregnancy or cessation of brain growth after birth.