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Sex differences in the neurodevelopment of school-age children with and without single-suture craniosynostosis

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous studies have indicated that infants and school-age children with single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC, cases) score modestly but consistently lower than unaffected children (controls) on neurodevelopmental tests. However, sex differences in these functions rarely have been examined, and it is unknown whether potential sex differences vary by case status (cases vs. controls) or location of suture fusion.

Methods

We tested 182 cases and 183 demographically matched controls at a mean age of 7.4 years. We measured intellectual abilities with the Wechsler Scale of Intelligence for Children—Fourth Edition. We assessed reading, spelling, and math with a combination of the Wide Range Assessment Test—Fourth Edition, the Test of Word Reading Efficiency, and the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing.

Results

Among both cases and controls, males scored lower on all measures than females with standard score differences ranging from −1.2 to −7.8 for controls (p values from <0.001 to 0.55) and −2.3 to −8.5 for cases (p values from <0.001 to 0.33). For all but one measure, sex differences were slightly larger for cases than controls. Among cases, males were more likely than females to have learning problems (50 vs. 30 %, respectively), with the highest level observed among males with unicoronal synostosis (86 %).

Conclusions

Sex differences in neurodevelopmental abilities among children with SSC are substantial, but not a unique correlate of this disorder as similar differences were observed among controls. Girls and those with sagittal synostosis have the lowest risk for academic problems. Boys with unicoronal synostosis warrant close developmental surveillance.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in the paper.

Financial support

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01 DE 13813, to MLS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, St Louis Children’s Hospital; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, One Children’s Place 3N-14, 63110, St Louis, MO, USA

    Mary Michaeleen Cradock

  2. Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Kristen E. Gray

  3. Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Kathleen A. Kapp-Simon

  4. Departments of Plastic Surgery and Psychology, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago, IL, USA

    Kathleen A. Kapp-Simon

  5. Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA

    Brent R. Collett & Matthew L. Speltz

  6. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Brent R. Collett & Matthew L. Speltz

  7. Craniofacial Team, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Lauren A. Buono

Authors
  1. Mary Michaeleen Cradock
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  2. Kristen E. Gray
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  3. Kathleen A. Kapp-Simon
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  4. Brent R. Collett
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  5. Lauren A. Buono
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  6. Matthew L. Speltz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary Michaeleen Cradock.

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Cradock, M.M., Gray, K.E., Kapp-Simon, K.A. et al. Sex differences in the neurodevelopment of school-age children with and without single-suture craniosynostosis. Childs Nerv Syst 31, 1103–1111 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2671-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2671-0

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