A five-year-old girl had to have her skull removed , smashed into pieces and put back together like a jigsaw puzzle after doctors discovered it was too small for her growing brain . Her mother Stacey Ciach , from Geelong in Victoria , had always wondered about the slightly narrow shape of daughter Ava 's head . But it was n't until she took Ava to a new doctor for a check-up that it was discovered two plates at the front of her skull had fused together prematurely - a rare condition known as Sagittal Synostosis - restricting the growth of her brain . Scroll down for video . Five-year-old Ava Ciach , from Geelong in Victoria , suffered from Sagittal Synostosis - meaning the two plates at the front of her skull had fused together prematurely restricting the growth of her brain . Ava , now six , had to undergo complex surgery in which she had her skull removed , smashed into pieces and put back together like a jigsaw puzzle . 'It was just a miracle that this particular doctor thought `` I 've got a few concerns about her head circumference '' , ' Ms Ciach told Daily Mail Australia . 'She was n't abnormal , you would n't look at her on street and think there 's something wrong with her . 'But he was really thorough and said he was going to do a full once over . ' A CT scan proved Ava had the condition – usually discovered when a child is between 10 months and two years old – meaning she had to undergo a raft of medical examinations . 'From the moment it was confirmed it was just test upon test upon test , ' Ms Ciach said . 'The waiting was just the worst – is this result going to be good or bad ? Most were not positive but that 's just what we had to deal with . ' Ava 's skull post surgery after it was 'smashed ' and put back together again . In September last year Ava underwent the operation , which involved making an incision from ear to ear and removing her whole skull . Ava was then taken to a combined clinic at the Royal Children 's Hospital in Melbourne with reconstructive plastic surgeon Jonathan Burge and 14 other neurosurgeons and other specialists to decide the course of action . They booked her in for surgery four days later . 'They just said `` She needs this surgery now '' , ' Ms Ciach said . In September last year Ava underwent the operation , which involved making an incision from ear to ear and removing her whole skull . 'It pretty much shattered , it was like a big puzzle , ' Ms Ciach said . 'They removed her whole skull and just rebuilt it from a mixture of screws , plates and fragments of her own bone . ' The complex operation took nine hours , and Ava was in a lot of pain in the days that followed . 'She had tubes coming out her neck and had a huge amount of morphine , she was just out of it for days , ' Ms Ciach said . Ava is pictured , six months after surgery , with her reconstructive plastic surgeon Dr Jonathan Bruge . 'It was horrible - you never want anyone else to go through it and see their child like that . 'It was difficult to watch but we knew she was in the best care . 'Jonathan Burge does great work at the Royal Children 's Hospital ; it 's just an amazing , incredible place . ' Ava was released from hospital and Ms Ciach said she was amazed by her daughter 's resilience . 'The recovery was pretty bad pain wise , her skull and skin were healing and it was pretty bad but she just dealt with it , ' she said . 'She 's such a strong , tough girl and she took it in her stride . ' Seven months after her surgery Ava , now six , is ' a completely different child ' . Seven months after her surgery Ava , now six , has started school and is ' a completely different child ' 'Now she 's just got more energy , she 's full of life and full of spark and so chatty , ' Ms Ciach said . 'She would get quite tired but all my kids have been good sleepers , we just thought that must be her . 'She 's not the fatigued child she once was . ' Ava , who loves dancing and is obsessed with cooking shows on TV , has also started her first year at school . 'She loves academic stuff and creative things so it 's good , ' Ms Ciach said . 'She 's loving learning and just loving life which is all we could really want for her . ' The Royal Children 's Hospital 's Good Friday Appeal is on tomorrow , April 3 . For more information or to donate visit the official website .
Five-year-old Ava Ciach , from Geelong in Victoria , had Sagittal Synostosis . She had to have her skull removed , smashed and put together like a jigsaw . Her mother Stacey is speaking out about the complex operation to raise awareness for the Royal Children 's Hospital 's Good Friday Appeal .