What is "scaphocephaly"

Scaphocephaly \Scaph`o*ceph"a*ly\, n. [Gr. ska`fh a boat + kefalh` head.] (Anat.) A deformed condition of the skull, in which the vault is narrow, elongated, and more or less boat-shaped.

n. (context pathology English) A congenital condition wherein the skull is flattened side-to-side.

n. congenital malformation of the skull which is long and narrow; frequently accompanied by mental retardation

Scaphocephaly (pronounced skaf-o-SEF-aly; from Greek skaphe meaning 'light boat or skiff' and kephale meaning 'head') describes a specific shape of a long narrow head that resembles an inverted boat.

It is a type of cephalic disorder which occurs when there is a premature fusion of the sagittal suture. The sagittal suture joins together the two parietal bones of skull. Scaphocephaly is the most common of the craniosynostosis conditions and is characterized by a long, narrow head.