Skull dent from birth injury
 

Im 22 years old male. I have a skull depression on the left side of my head towards the top edge of the head(parietal region). I got it from a forceps delivery. I used to suffer from left-sided head aches during my late teens,probably migraines. Ever since I would link every problem to my dent on my head. Im slower in writing than my classmates, Im weaker in mental calculations, less working memory , I have some speech problems which began around the age of 11-12. I have trouble articulating some words at times. I fear apraxia of speech. Im a total mess right now. I cant figure out if my symptoms are anxiety developed over the years or because of brain damage. Ive been to doctors.... even had a CT scan. And it seems normal. But now I want to get an mri since CT scans arent good at showing mild damage. But my parents think Im nuts and wont entertain me. I dont know what to do!! I feel like killing myself! coz nobody will even believe me!!! Not even my parents ! And the worst part is that the depression is over the left parietal region(angular gyrus+supramarginal gyrus) which is instrumental in writing,math,speech!! How could this just be a co-incidence!?? Pls somebody help me.

Ive attached my ct scan images, pls have a look. Ive circled the area of the dent in the sagittal plane, notice the darkened area.

Brainalive,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I think you are making too much from this dent. The brain grows and molds to fill the space available. My son is 31 and still has the shelf like depression in the back of his head from a fall during his first year.

An MRI is still not able to show fine damage. Besides, the damage, if there ever was any, would be long gone. The infant brain is very tolerant of skull movement. The skull plates are flexible/moveable to allow for the pressures from the birth canal.

Do you have any other traumas or illnesses that happened during your young years? A high fever, concussion, and other traumas can cause the learning difficulties you mention.

Instead of focusing on the dent, spend you time learning how to improve the weak functions you have. There are plenty of us with serious cognitive and memory dysfunctions that have learned how to overcome many of them.

Also, try to get some help with your anxiety and obsessing. They can do far more to limit your life than a small difficulty with memory and speaking.

Have you had any diagnostics done? Is your problem forming the sounds to speak words (apraxia) or struggle to find the right words (aphasia). Plenty of us have problems with word finding.

A speech pathologist should be able to help you understand. It sounds like you had some diagnostics done at some time.

I hope you can find someone to help you with the anxiety part of this issue.

My best to you.

Hi Mark,
Firstly thanks for your quick reply and welcoming me into this forum. Ive been looking for a good forum for support and understanding and Im glad I came across this one.
Sorry for my panicky first post. That was my anxiety getting the better of me. :)
To answer your questions, I was a very healthy kid as far as I remember. I was pretty good in school too. And I was talkative with friends and family but very shy in school. I didnt have problems speaking, infact I would speak on stage for skits and even recited a few poems. I dont remember any problems until my 6th grade.
When I was in my 3rd grade I did hurt my head against a door frame in school when I was pushed. I got a pretty big bump on the front of my head(temple region). I cried but I didnt lose consciousness. I was fine until I reached home and the bump subsided within a few hours. I didnt have any headache or any other symptoms then or the next days. I wasnt taken to a doctor.
Also I dont have a problem finding words. I usually have a problem producing them. Its not severe. Its more like I have a problem pronouncing them. My words come out slurred. And often I can anticipate my errors.

Could the head bump I suffered in 3rd grade be the cause of my problems?

I would really appreciate somebody replying to my post, Im kinda worried sick myself. Especially after reading this

**

It seems to me that you are very anxious about this. Have you tried to reduce your anxiety? That might be very helpful.

So, your words have been slurring since you were in 6th grade? And it happened spontaneously? Did you play sports?

Do you have any other symptoms? Or any new symptoms?

It might not have anything to do with the forceps, or the bump to your head i the 3rd grade, it might just be random genetics/developmental issues. Regardless, speech therapy might help you.

Instead of asking your Dr. for an MRI, have you just explained to them what symptoms you're having that is distressing you to see if anything can be done to help you cope with them? Maybe they will refer you to a good speech therapist?

I think seeing a behavioral therapist might be able to help you with to reduce the anxiety.

I came across this article online, and ever since my minds convinced itself that the reason is the dent on my head. This particular article states the symptoms of epilepsy showing up in a boy 14 years after forceps delivery and suffering a depressed fracture like me. *edit* How the hell am I supposed to convince myself and conclusively prove to myself that my problems have nothing to do with my dent? What tests are available for this!

I don't think the tests you are asking for exist.

You're posting in a thread that many people who are recovering from mTBI (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury) read. Most mTBI's don't show up on any tests and can't even be proven conclusively with physical evidence that they exist until after a person dies and the brain can be dissected and looked at under a microscope. So, we don't have conclusive proof of our injuries either.

Members of this forum post articles about new research and helpful tips on how to cope with their injuries and the impairments and challenges that they are dealing with as a result of them.

I think if you want that kind of proof then you should be demanding it from the medical community and not members of this forum. Although, most of us completely understand your frustration. I think all this forum can only provide you is some support as you travel down your journey of recovery.

You pleaded for someone to respond and I responded with my opinion. I'm not a Dr., and you seem unhappy with the opinion I posted, so I suggest you speak with a specialist. Or at the very least, read more than one article on the matter. Good luck!

Found Help!
 

After years of trying to find answers for my sons brain injury problems he was referred to a neurologist who referred him to a "neuropsychiatrist" at our university teaching hospital who has been very successful diagnosing and treating the problems from his injuries. He was also referred by this doctor to a neuropsychologist for assessment of the effects of the injuries on his ability to function in many different ways. Now that he knows what he is up against he is working on how to deal with it all - it is a lot but positive progress is wonderful. Good luck, don't give up trying to get the "right doctor" to send you to the "right place".

Whoa, I think you are over reacting, as Mark in Idaho says your brain will have developed to take the shape of your skull into account, everyone's head is a slightly different shape - you don't get the perfect shape skull. I don't see how your speech or math skill can be related to this birth anomaly at all as no tissue damage has occurred.