Keaton Segil, a 10-year-old Livingston boy, has spent his childhood enduring strange looks and stares from strangers because of his deformed head. Segil was one in approximately 25,000 babies to be born with a birth defect called Crouzon syndrome. The gene mutation causes part of the skull to fuse prematurely, not allowing growth in part of the head and face. In Keaton's case, while the rest of his head grew, the mid-face region didn't, giving him a look similar to a person with Down syndrome. While the defect does not affect the brain at all - mentally Keaton is fine - it does cause problems with breathing and hearing. Because of the way his head was deformed, his nasal passages were pinched so he had no breathing through his nose, as well as hearing problems.

In June, Keaton underwent a surgery in Chicago with specialist Dr. John Polley who has gained recognition in the medical world for his invention of a new technique to help fix Crouzon. A traditional halo is wired onto the head, with wires attached to the part of the skull which has not grown. By simply turning screws on the halo, the face is gradually "pulled" back into place, turning Keaton's head and face back to near normal dimensions. By August, the halo had been removed and Keaton's appearance, as well as the physical disabilities which had plagued him before, were like new.

Before the surgery, Keaton had said how excited he was to begin fifth-grade "with a new face." He wasn't disappointed. Classmates oohhed and aahhed at the change in his appearance.

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