Hemihypertrophy, better known as hemihyperplasia, is when one side of a child’s body grows faster than the other side. Also known as overgrowth syndrome, hemihyperplasia is a congenital condition that children are born with and cannot acquire later in life. While hemihyperplasia can happen on either side of a child’s body and anywhere in the body, it commonly affects the face, resulting in one side of the face being larger and more developed than the other.
Craniofacial hemihyperplasia is one of the most noticeable forms of the condition because it affects the shape and symmetry of the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. In addition to being detrimental on its own, hemihyperplasia puts your child more at risk for several forms of liver and kidney cancer. Therefore, it is important to have hemihyperplasia diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.
The most noticeable symptom of craniofacial hemihyperplasia is that it causes the face to appear misshapen or that one side is larger or saggier than the other. How severe these differences are will vary from child to child, and some instances cause differences that are hardly noticeable. Therefore, it may be necessary to watch out for other signs and symptoms of hemihpyerplasia.
Eventually, children with hemihyperplasia will have trouble eating, swallowing, chewing, and talking because of their misshapen face. These difficulties will start slow and get progressively worse as the condition progresses. Severe cases of hemihyperplasia can also cause breathing difficulties.
Hemihyperplasia is a congenital condition, which means children are born with it. It happens when there are chromosomal abnormalities that are present at birth. In most cases, this is because of another congenital condition or disease that then causes hemihyperplasia to occur. Here are some of the most well-known conditions:
Although rare, there are some instances where hemihyperplasia is not linked to genetic disorders. However, the cause and risk factors for these instances are unknown.
As with not knowing the exact causes and risk factors of hemihyperplasia, there is also no concrete diagnostic test to confirm the condition. There are, however, tests your doctor can use to establish a hemihyperplasia diagnosis.
If one side of the face is noticeably larger than the other, it is almost always because of hemihyperplasia. However, further testing may be necessary to determine the underlying cause if one is evident.
To further confirm whether or not one side of the face is larger than the other, your doctor may order imaging tests. MRIs, CAT Scans, and X-rays will reveal whether or not the bones and muscles are larger on one side of the face than the other.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for hemihyperplasia, and there is no way to prevent it from happening. There are, however, treatments available that can correct the physical damage caused by hemihyperplasia. There are also treatments that can keep your facial muscles and nerves functioning as they should so that your child can live a mostly normal life. These treatments include fat removal and transfer, skin grafts, and facial reconstructive surgery.