Cranial & Facial Clinic - El Paso Children's Hospital
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Archived: 2026-04-23 17:21
Cranial & Facial Clinic - El Paso Children's Hospital
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Cranial & Facial Clinic
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital is the first and only comprehensive pediatric cranial and facial program in the region that provides children in the greater El Paso area access to a dedicated multidisciplinary team of physicians skilled in correcting facial, jaw and skull abnormalities.
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital: Help, Hope, and Healing for Children with Skull and Facial Deformities
Having a child with a significant facial or skull malformation can be one of the toughest challenges a family ever has to face. As a parent, where can you find the answers, diagnosis, and treatment options you and your child can trust?
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital, offers a highly-skilled team of surgeons, specialists, and support staff that is unified in one life-changing mission: providing the most advanced and compassionate care for children with facial and skull deformities.
We are committed to helping children with cranial and facial differences. We are the first and only comprehensive pediatric cranial and facial program in our region. We dedicated to providing children in the greater El Paso area access to world-class experts and offer advanced treatment options needed to correct face, jaw, and skull abnormalities.
We are the only Cranial and Facial Team in the region to be nationally recognized by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. We deliver the latest in internationally-recognized care for craniofacial deformities.
As a dedicated children’s hospital our mission is to provide family-centered, compassionate care to every child who seeks our help, because that is what all of our families deserve.
Accreditation:
Our multidisciplinary team at El Paso Children’s Hospital Cranial and Facial Clinic is committed to providing every child with a skull or facial deformity in West Texas with more positive outcomes. Our multidisciplinary approach ensures fully comprehensive care, from improving physical outcomes to supporting mental health.
"Our team is so comprehensive, so complete, and able to take care of any kind of facial deformity." - Dr. Yates
Your child’s treatment journey at the Cranial and Facial Clinic begins with a thorough physical exam by our cranial and facial specialists. Not only limited to head shapes - can see all cleft and craneofacial anomalies.
After the initial exam, our multidisciplinary team will meet and review the results. Using decades of combined experience, the craniofacial team will assess your child's issues, then create the custom-tailored combination of solutions that will make up their individualized treatment plan.
At El Paso Children's Hospital, we understand the difficulties and challenges patients and their families can experience when dealing with a cranial or facial deformity. That's why our team is dedicated to compassionate, personalized care. That includes providing constant, easy-to-understand information about your child's condition and the therapies we're utilizing to help improve their health and appearance. As a parent, your questions and concerns will be respected, heard and answered with all our empathy and skill.
Craniosynostosis (isolated and syndromic)
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which one or more of the fibrous joints (sutures) in an infant's skull fuse together before they should. The flexible sutures in a baby's skull allow it to grow as the brain develops, they each fuse at different ages. In children with craniosynostosis, the early fusion of the sutures can prevent the skull from developing normally. That can affect the shape of the head and potentially put abnormal pressure on the brain. According to informat
Rare Craniofacial Clefts
Craniofacial clefts are abnormal openings or malformations of the face and skull that occur when those structures don't develop as they should during pregnancy. Cleft lip and cleft palate -- which cause visible gaps in the lip or the roof of the mouth -- are types of craniofacial clefts. Rare craniofacial clefts cause more severe facial and skull malformations, including oro-nasal-ocular clefts that involve deformities of the mouth, nose and eyes, and lateral clefts, which are characterized by
Acute & Chronic Sequelae of Facial Fractures
Sequelae is a medical term that refers to the long-term effects of a medical condition or traumatic injury. El Paso Children's Hospital's Cranial and Facial Clinic is adept at helping children recover from traumatic injuries that can cause fractures to the head or face. In addition to facial disfigurement, these injuries can sometimes cause nerve damage, dental issues and functional problems that can affect a child's ability to speak, eat or see.
See More
Need a highly-skilled pediatric craniofacial surgeon in El Paso, Texas, or next-generation treatment options for craniofacial deformities? The El Paso Children’s Hospital Cranial and Facial Clinic is your source for patient-focused, technologically advanced diagnosis, treatment and care for pediatric craniofacial malformations.
When your child’s health is on the line, trust the nationally-recognized team at the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital to see your family through.
Multispecialty Center
5400 Alameda Avenue
El Paso, Texas 79905
Phone
915-242-8402
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
David Yates, MD, DMD, FACS
Medical Director, Cranial & Facial Clinic Surgeon
Ziyad Makoshi, MBBS, MSc, FRCSC, FAANS
Medical Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Lizbeth Holguin, MD, DDS
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Vernon Burke, MD, DMD
Chief of OMFS and Pediatric Dentistry
At El Paso Children's Hospital, our multidisciplinary craniofacial team is dedicated to finding and utilizing the latest procedures for pediatric skull surgery, including pioneering techniques like minimally-invasive endoscopic surgery, resorbable implants and distraction osteogenesis.
At the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children's Hospital, facial surgery may involve correcting undeveloped bones, nerve repair, nerve transfer, muscle transfer and microsurgical nerve transplantation. In many cases, facial surgery can give children better control of their facial muscles and a fuller range of facial expressions.
Jaw surgery is a treatment option for a variety of issues, including repairing jaw injuries due to an accident or fall, or to improve congenital jaw problems that are present at birth. For children with severe jaw problems who need significant care, jaw surgery can require multiple operations and bone grafting, and may involve procedures to move one or both jaws to a more normal position. In some cases, jaw surgery patients also receive carefully-coordinated orthodontic treatment to straighten and align the teeth and bite.
Distraction osteogenesis is a surgical procedure sometimes used to reconstruct and enlarge bones impacted by the effects of craniofacial deformities. During the initial part of a distraction osteogenesis procedure, surgeons make a controlled cut in a malformed bone. Then, over the course of weeks or months, a special device is used to slowly spread the segments apart, so that new bone tissue gradually fills the gap between them. In this way, distraction osteogenesis allows surgeons to grow and reshape bones, allowing soft tissues to accumulate in the new skeletal structure.
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which one or more of the fibrous joints (sutures) in an infant's skull fuse together before they should. The flexible sutures in a baby's skull allow it to grow as the brain develops, and normally fuse together at around two years old. In children with craniosynostosis, the early fusion of the sutures can prevent the skull from developing normally. That can affect the shape of the head and potentially put abnormal pressure on the brain. According to information published by the National Institutes of Health, between 60-80% of craniosynostosis cases are considered isolated (non-syndromic), meaning the issue is accompanied by no other major birth defects or abnormalities. Syndromic craniosynostosis cases occur alongside other physical abnormalities, usually as part of a specific genetic syndrome, including Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome and Pfeiffer syndrome.
Craniofacial clefts are abnormal openings or malformations of the face and skull that occur when those structures don't develop as they should during pregnancy. Cleft lip and cleft palate -- which cause visible gaps in the lip or the roof of the mouth -- are types of craniofacial clefts. Rare craniofacial clefts cause more severe facial and skull malformations, including oro-nasal-ocular clefts that involve deformities of the mouth, nose and eyes, and lateral clefts, which are characterized by malformation in the lower jaw.
Sequelae is a medical term that refers to the long-term effects of a medical condition or traumatic injury. El Paso Children's Hospital's Cranial and Facial Clinic is adept at helping children recover from traumatic injuries that can cause fractures to the head or face. In addition to facial disfigurement, these injuries can sometimes cause nerve damage, dental issues and functional problems that can affect a child's ability to speak, eat or see.
Micrognathia is a condition in which a child is born with a lower jaw that is significantly smaller than normal. In some cases, the lower jaw of children with micrognathia may be only slightly smaller than usual, and may cause no problems. In other cases, however, the lower jaw can be so small that it causes functional issues, including problems with eating or breathing.
Apert syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull, face, hands and feet. It is caused by a mutation in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 gene, part of a person's DNA that plays a role in the normal development of bones. According to the National Institutes of Health, Apert syndrome is considered a rare disease, occuring in 1 in 65,000 to 200,000 births, depending on the study. Symptoms of Apert syndrome can vary from person to person, but often include developmental delays, a cleft palate, the joints between skull bones fusing too early (craniosynostosis), webbing between the fingers and toes (syndactyly), dental problems and other issues.
Crouzon syndrome is another rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull and face. While symptoms can vary, those with Crouzon syndrome often have a number of facial and skull deformities, usually including one or more of the sutures of a child's skull fusing together too early (craniosynostosis), an underdeveloped upper jaw (midface hypoplasia), a small chin, eyes that don't point the same direction (strabismus) and/or a prominent, beak-like nose. In those with Crouzon syndrome, these structural issues often cause breathing difficulties, sleep apnea (a condition in which a person can stop breathing in their sleep), hearing loss and other problems.
Pfeiffer syndrome is still another rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull, face, hands and feet. Among other issues, the condition can cause the sutures between bones in a growing infant's skull to fuse together too soon (craniosynostosis), which can cause facial, and skull, malformations, including a high forehead and bulging eyes. These issues are often accompanied by abnormally-wide big toes and thumbs and hearing issues. Caused by mutations in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 genes, Pfeiffer syndrome has three types. Type I is the mildest, while Types II and III can be life-threatening, potentially causing issues with thinking and reasoning and neurological problems.
Treacher Collins syndrome, also called TCS, is a genetic disorder that affects the development of the bones and tissues that give form and shape to the face. The symptoms and severity of Treacher Collins Syndrome can vary from person to person, but children with the condition often have an underdeveloped jaw and cheekbones, a small chin, downward-tilted eyes, notches in the lower eyelids and few lower eyelashes, malformed or missing ears and, sometimes, a cleft palate or abnormally-small skull. These structural issues can be accompanied by or cause other issues, including vision problems, hearing issues or feeding and breathing difficulties.
Hemifacial microsomia is a congenital (present at birth) condition that causes one side of the face to be underdeveloped at birth, affecting the bones, muscles, nerves and soft tissues. In some cases, underdevelopment of one side of the face may be mild and barely noticeable. In other cases, it may be severe causing significant differences between the two sides of the face. Children with hemifacial microsomia can have one ear, eye or cheekbone that is noticeably smaller than the other, and nerve damage that can cause muscle weakness or the inability to move one side of the face. The structural problems related to hemifacial microsomia can also cause vision issues and problems with speaking or chewing.
Parry-Romberg syndrome is a rare disorder that causes the skin, soft tissues, muscles and cartilage of the face to slowly waste away. For reasons that aren't well understood, this slow degeneration often impacts mainly the left side of the face. The tongue, gums and the roof of the mouth (the palate) can also be affected. Often beginning in childhood, Parry-Romberg Syndrome can also cause a number of serious neurological issues, including seizures, one-sided body weakness, severe headaches and facial pain.
Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) is characterized by being born with three specific symptoms that make up what's sometimes called the "Pierre Robin Sequence Triad." The three symptoms of the Pierre Robin Sequence Triad are: being born with an underdeveloped jaw (micrognathia), having a tongue that is positioned abnormally far back in the throat (glossoptosis) and obstruction of the upper airways, which include the larynx (the voice box), pharynx (the throat), oral cavity (the mouth) and nasal cavities (the nose and sinuses). Children born with Pierre Robin Sequence often have a cleft palate, and may have significant breathing difficulties.
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Cranial & Facial Clinic
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital is the first and only comprehensive pediatric cranial and facial program in the region that provides children in the greater El Paso area access to a dedicated multidisciplinary team of physicians skilled in correcting facial, jaw and skull abnormalities.
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital: Help, Hope, and Healing for Children with Skull and Facial Deformities
Having a child with a significant facial or skull malformation can be one of the toughest challenges a family ever has to face. As a parent, where can you find the answers, diagnosis, and treatment options you and your child can trust?
The Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital, offers a highly-skilled team of surgeons, specialists, and support staff that is unified in one life-changing mission: providing the most advanced and compassionate care for children with facial and skull deformities.
We are committed to helping children with cranial and facial differences. We are the first and only comprehensive pediatric cranial and facial program in our region. We dedicated to providing children in the greater El Paso area access to world-class experts and offer advanced treatment options needed to correct face, jaw, and skull abnormalities.
We are the only Cranial and Facial Team in the region to be nationally recognized by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. We deliver the latest in internationally-recognized care for craniofacial deformities.
As a dedicated children’s hospital our mission is to provide family-centered, compassionate care to every child who seeks our help, because that is what all of our families deserve.
Accreditation:
Our multidisciplinary team at El Paso Children’s Hospital Cranial and Facial Clinic is committed to providing every child with a skull or facial deformity in West Texas with more positive outcomes. Our multidisciplinary approach ensures fully comprehensive care, from improving physical outcomes to supporting mental health.
"Our team is so comprehensive, so complete, and able to take care of any kind of facial deformity." - Dr. Yates
Your child’s treatment journey at the Cranial and Facial Clinic begins with a thorough physical exam by our cranial and facial specialists. Not only limited to head shapes - can see all cleft and craneofacial anomalies.
After the initial exam, our multidisciplinary team will meet and review the results. Using decades of combined experience, the craniofacial team will assess your child's issues, then create the custom-tailored combination of solutions that will make up their individualized treatment plan.
At El Paso Children's Hospital, we understand the difficulties and challenges patients and their families can experience when dealing with a cranial or facial deformity. That's why our team is dedicated to compassionate, personalized care. That includes providing constant, easy-to-understand information about your child's condition and the therapies we're utilizing to help improve their health and appearance. As a parent, your questions and concerns will be respected, heard and answered with all our empathy and skill.
Craniosynostosis (isolated and syndromic)
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which one or more of the fibrous joints (sutures) in an infant's skull fuse together before they should. The flexible sutures in a baby's skull allow it to grow as the brain develops, they each fuse at different ages. In children with craniosynostosis, the early fusion of the sutures can prevent the skull from developing normally. That can affect the shape of the head and potentially put abnormal pressure on the brain. According to informat
Rare Craniofacial Clefts
Craniofacial clefts are abnormal openings or malformations of the face and skull that occur when those structures don't develop as they should during pregnancy. Cleft lip and cleft palate -- which cause visible gaps in the lip or the roof of the mouth -- are types of craniofacial clefts. Rare craniofacial clefts cause more severe facial and skull malformations, including oro-nasal-ocular clefts that involve deformities of the mouth, nose and eyes, and lateral clefts, which are characterized by
Acute & Chronic Sequelae of Facial Fractures
Sequelae is a medical term that refers to the long-term effects of a medical condition or traumatic injury. El Paso Children's Hospital's Cranial and Facial Clinic is adept at helping children recover from traumatic injuries that can cause fractures to the head or face. In addition to facial disfigurement, these injuries can sometimes cause nerve damage, dental issues and functional problems that can affect a child's ability to speak, eat or see.
See More
Need a highly-skilled pediatric craniofacial surgeon in El Paso, Texas, or next-generation treatment options for craniofacial deformities? The El Paso Children’s Hospital Cranial and Facial Clinic is your source for patient-focused, technologically advanced diagnosis, treatment and care for pediatric craniofacial malformations.
When your child’s health is on the line, trust the nationally-recognized team at the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital to see your family through.
Multispecialty Center
5400 Alameda Avenue
El Paso, Texas 79905
Phone
915-242-8402
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
David Yates, MD, DMD, FACS
Medical Director, Cranial & Facial Clinic Surgeon
Ziyad Makoshi, MBBS, MSc, FRCSC, FAANS
Medical Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Lizbeth Holguin, MD, DDS
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Vernon Burke, MD, DMD
Chief of OMFS and Pediatric Dentistry
At El Paso Children's Hospital, our multidisciplinary craniofacial team is dedicated to finding and utilizing the latest procedures for pediatric skull surgery, including pioneering techniques like minimally-invasive endoscopic surgery, resorbable implants and distraction osteogenesis.
At the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children's Hospital, facial surgery may involve correcting undeveloped bones, nerve repair, nerve transfer, muscle transfer and microsurgical nerve transplantation. In many cases, facial surgery can give children better control of their facial muscles and a fuller range of facial expressions.
Jaw surgery is a treatment option for a variety of issues, including repairing jaw injuries due to an accident or fall, or to improve congenital jaw problems that are present at birth. For children with severe jaw problems who need significant care, jaw surgery can require multiple operations and bone grafting, and may involve procedures to move one or both jaws to a more normal position. In some cases, jaw surgery patients also receive carefully-coordinated orthodontic treatment to straighten and align the teeth and bite.
Distraction osteogenesis is a surgical procedure sometimes used to reconstruct and enlarge bones impacted by the effects of craniofacial deformities. During the initial part of a distraction osteogenesis procedure, surgeons make a controlled cut in a malformed bone. Then, over the course of weeks or months, a special device is used to slowly spread the segments apart, so that new bone tissue gradually fills the gap between them. In this way, distraction osteogenesis allows surgeons to grow and reshape bones, allowing soft tissues to accumulate in the new skeletal structure.
Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which one or more of the fibrous joints (sutures) in an infant's skull fuse together before they should. The flexible sutures in a baby's skull allow it to grow as the brain develops, and normally fuse together at around two years old. In children with craniosynostosis, the early fusion of the sutures can prevent the skull from developing normally. That can affect the shape of the head and potentially put abnormal pressure on the brain. According to information published by the National Institutes of Health, between 60-80% of craniosynostosis cases are considered isolated (non-syndromic), meaning the issue is accompanied by no other major birth defects or abnormalities. Syndromic craniosynostosis cases occur alongside other physical abnormalities, usually as part of a specific genetic syndrome, including Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome and Pfeiffer syndrome.
Craniofacial clefts are abnormal openings or malformations of the face and skull that occur when those structures don't develop as they should during pregnancy. Cleft lip and cleft palate -- which cause visible gaps in the lip or the roof of the mouth -- are types of craniofacial clefts. Rare craniofacial clefts cause more severe facial and skull malformations, including oro-nasal-ocular clefts that involve deformities of the mouth, nose and eyes, and lateral clefts, which are characterized by malformation in the lower jaw.
Sequelae is a medical term that refers to the long-term effects of a medical condition or traumatic injury. El Paso Children's Hospital's Cranial and Facial Clinic is adept at helping children recover from traumatic injuries that can cause fractures to the head or face. In addition to facial disfigurement, these injuries can sometimes cause nerve damage, dental issues and functional problems that can affect a child's ability to speak, eat or see.
Micrognathia is a condition in which a child is born with a lower jaw that is significantly smaller than normal. In some cases, the lower jaw of children with micrognathia may be only slightly smaller than usual, and may cause no problems. In other cases, however, the lower jaw can be so small that it causes functional issues, including problems with eating or breathing.
Apert syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull, face, hands and feet. It is caused by a mutation in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 gene, part of a person's DNA that plays a role in the normal development of bones. According to the National Institutes of Health, Apert syndrome is considered a rare disease, occuring in 1 in 65,000 to 200,000 births, depending on the study. Symptoms of Apert syndrome can vary from person to person, but often include developmental delays, a cleft palate, the joints between skull bones fusing too early (craniosynostosis), webbing between the fingers and toes (syndactyly), dental problems and other issues.
Crouzon syndrome is another rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull and face. While symptoms can vary, those with Crouzon syndrome often have a number of facial and skull deformities, usually including one or more of the sutures of a child's skull fusing together too early (craniosynostosis), an underdeveloped upper jaw (midface hypoplasia), a small chin, eyes that don't point the same direction (strabismus) and/or a prominent, beak-like nose. In those with Crouzon syndrome, these structural issues often cause breathing difficulties, sleep apnea (a condition in which a person can stop breathing in their sleep), hearing loss and other problems.
Pfeiffer syndrome is still another rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull, face, hands and feet. Among other issues, the condition can cause the sutures between bones in a growing infant's skull to fuse together too soon (craniosynostosis), which can cause facial, and skull, malformations, including a high forehead and bulging eyes. These issues are often accompanied by abnormally-wide big toes and thumbs and hearing issues. Caused by mutations in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-2 and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 genes, Pfeiffer syndrome has three types. Type I is the mildest, while Types II and III can be life-threatening, potentially causing issues with thinking and reasoning and neurological problems.
Treacher Collins syndrome, also called TCS, is a genetic disorder that affects the development of the bones and tissues that give form and shape to the face. The symptoms and severity of Treacher Collins Syndrome can vary from person to person, but children with the condition often have an underdeveloped jaw and cheekbones, a small chin, downward-tilted eyes, notches in the lower eyelids and few lower eyelashes, malformed or missing ears and, sometimes, a cleft palate or abnormally-small skull. These structural issues can be accompanied by or cause other issues, including vision problems, hearing issues or feeding and breathing difficulties.
Hemifacial microsomia is a congenital (present at birth) condition that causes one side of the face to be underdeveloped at birth, affecting the bones, muscles, nerves and soft tissues. In some cases, underdevelopment of one side of the face may be mild and barely noticeable. In other cases, it may be severe causing significant differences between the two sides of the face. Children with hemifacial microsomia can have one ear, eye or cheekbone that is noticeably smaller than the other, and nerve damage that can cause muscle weakness or the inability to move one side of the face. The structural problems related to hemifacial microsomia can also cause vision issues and problems with speaking or chewing.
Parry-Romberg syndrome is a rare disorder that causes the skin, soft tissues, muscles and cartilage of the face to slowly waste away. For reasons that aren't well understood, this slow degeneration often impacts mainly the left side of the face. The tongue, gums and the roof of the mouth (the palate) can also be affected. Often beginning in childhood, Parry-Romberg Syndrome can also cause a number of serious neurological issues, including seizures, one-sided body weakness, severe headaches and facial pain.
Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) is characterized by being born with three specific symptoms that make up what's sometimes called the "Pierre Robin Sequence Triad." The three symptoms of the Pierre Robin Sequence Triad are: being born with an underdeveloped jaw (micrognathia), having a tongue that is positioned abnormally far back in the throat (glossoptosis) and obstruction of the upper airways, which include the larynx (the voice box), pharynx (the throat), oral cavity (the mouth) and nasal cavities (the nose and sinuses). Children born with Pierre Robin Sequence often have a cleft palate, and may have significant breathing difficulties.
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