Charlotte Dent, Mother, Learns Of Baby's Rare Condition 'Trigonocephaly' Via Facebook (PHOTO)

A tip from a complete stranger might have saved a British boy from brain damage.

Like many new mothers, Charlotte Dent had an image of her son, George, as her Facebook profile picture. But the shape of the 6-month-old's head caught the attention of one mother whose son has a rare condition called trigonocephaly, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Trigonocephaly is a congenital deformity usually marked by a triangular or flat-shaped head.

While it is rare, if the condition is left untreated it can cause serious problems with vision, learning or behavior, according to Children's Hospital Boston.

George, who was born with an unusually shaped head, has previously been tested for and cleared of several conditions, including Down syndrome. Doctors never suspected trigonocephaly until Dent brought the possibility to their attention after being alerted by the woman, the Echo reports.

It turns out her concerns were well-founded. George will receive surgery to correct the condition once he reaches his first birthday.

For more on the story, read Charlotte Dent's interview with the Liverpool Echo.

The growth of online communities over the years has led to several medical diagnoses via sites like Facebook.

In 2011, writer and mother Deborah Copaken Kogan's son was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a serious condition that an cause aneurysms and heart attacks, after she posted a series of pictures on Facebook.

Despite several success stories, however, it should be noted that self-diagnosing ailments with information found online doesn't always lead to accurate results.

A survey commissioned by Balance Activ, a vaginal infection treatment brand, found that a quarter of women have misdiagnosed themselves with information they found online. Additionally, it was found that one quarter of women would follow suggested treatment plans for symptoms they found embarrassing without first consulting a medical professional.