Six-month-old Archie was born with a condition where the growth lines in his skull had fused too early.
His parents needed to make a difficult decision – opt for the risks of surgery, or let nature take its course with the physical and psychological impacts which could follow.
But thanks to a pioneering new technology, Amanda and Judd Michnowiec were able to see what the changes would be beforehand, in virtual reality.
That, the doctor behind it says, is more information than most parents get.
A VR solution
Archie’s condition – known as Sagittal Synostosis – means that as his brain grows, the skull cannot grow sideways to accommodate it.
Instead, it expands to the front and back, distorting the head shape.
While the condition is not life-threatening, it can cause speech and language delay, as well as raised intracranial pressure.
