Baby pulls through surgery for rare defect at Mater Private Children’s Hospital

A 12-month-old boy will forever have a battle scar to show how he and his loving parents made it through gruelling surgery to overcome a deformed skull and rare birth defect, as he crawls around chasing his brother.

Dr Timothy & Chelsea Beckman with sons Emrys, 12 months, after Craniofacial surgery and brother Harry, 3. Picture: Annette Dew

A 12-month-old boy has undergone gruelling surgery to transform his deformed skull after he was born with a congenital abnormality.

Emrys Beckman was born with craniosynostosis in which the bones in his head were fused together, leaving no space for his brain to grow and giving his head a misshapen appearance.

While Emrys is too young to comprehend the gruelling three-hour surgery he underwent at Mater Private Children’s Brisbane, he has a “battle scar” across his scalp to prove it.

His parents Dr Tim Beckman and Chelsea Beckman said they first noticed something amiss when Emrys’ head was elongated at birth.

Dr Timothy & Chelsea Beckman with sons Emrys 1yrs after Craniofacial surgery and brother Harry 3yrs. Picture: Annette Dew

“We noticed the shape of his head was changing and while we knew without surgery he would lead a normal life.

“When Emrys was around four months old strangers started asking what was going on with his head and if something was wrong,” Chelsea said.

As an ophthalmologist, Dr Beckman added he was grateful to have colleagues who had experience managing craniosynostosis patients.

“It was a big year for us – it was an evolution of emotions and we are happy Emrys has had a great outcome,” he said.

“He is crawling around after his three-year-old brother Harry, which is absolutely beautiful to watch.”

Only approximately five babies are treated at Mater each year with this condition, with Emrys being one in 2000 babies affected by craniosynostosis.

Originally published as Baby pulls through surgery for rare defect at Mater Private Children’s Hospital