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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.

Cranial & Facial Clinic

Skull & Facial Deformity Diagnosis & Treatment

cranial facial clinic patient

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?

Every day at the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children’s Hospital, our highly-skilled team of surgeons, specialists and support staff is unified in one life-changing mission: providing the most advanced and compassionate care for children with facial and skull deformities in West Texas.

Our commitment to helping kids with these often-disfiguring issues is strong. That’s why El Paso Children’s Hospital’s Cranial and Facial Clinic is the first and only comprehensive pediatric cranial and facial program in our region. We’re dedicated to providing children in the greater El Paso area access to world-class experts and the advanced treatment options they need to more fully correct face, jaw and skull abnormalities.

We’re the only Cranial and Facial Team in the region to be nationally recognized by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. We’re delivering the latest in internationally-recognized care for craniofacial deformity, without the international flight. That’s the gold standard of family-centered, compassionate treatment we provide for every child who seeks our help. Because that’s what families in El Paso deserve.

Meet our Cranial and Facial Team

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 goal is not only improving your child’s physical appearance and function, but also providing support for their mental health so they can thrive.

"Our team is so comprehensive, so complete, and able to take care of any kind of facial deformity." - Dr. Yates

What to Expect During Treatment at the Cranial and Facial Clinic

Your child’s treatment journey at the El Paso Children's Hospital Cranial and Facial Clinic begins with a thorough physical exam by our in-house cranial and facial deformity specialists. This exam will include measuring and documenting the child's head shape.

Common Conditions

At the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children's Hospital, we're dedicated to providing Texas' most advanced, patient-focused care for children with conditions that can cause severe facial and skull malformations. Depending on your child’s diagnosis, treatment options can range from long-term monitoring to minimally-invasive surgery. At the Cranial and Facial Clinic, we offer a world-class range of treatment options for craniofacial disorders, including some that aren't offered anywhere else in West Texas or even the Southwest.

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, 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 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.

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Contact the Cranial and Facial Clinic at El Paso Children's Hospital Today

Need a highly-skilled pediatric facial 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.

Medical Staff

Dr. Yates
David Yates, MD
Medical Director, Cranial & Facial Clinic
Dr. Makoshi
Ziyad Makoshi, MBBS, MSc, FRCSC, FAANS
Pediatric Neurosurgeon
Dr. Lizbeth Holguin
Lizbeth Holguin, DDS
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Burke
Vernon Burke, DMD, MD
Chief of OMFS and Pediatric Dentistry

Services Provided

Conditions Treated