Protruding forehead and eyes in a child: should I worry?

Each person is special, therefore the norms of body structure for an adult are conditional. In childhood, the body is structured differently, so parents are concerned about some of the child’s characteristics. A child’s bulging forehead is a common reason for parents to consult a doctor. Let's try to understand the causes of a convex forehead and find out whether this is normal or pathological.

Convex forehead of a baby Doctor Komarovsky - Secrets of doctors

Rickets in children is a disease inherent in children in the first three years of life and is caused by a critical deficiency of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D (calciferol) is synthesized in the body under the influence of sunlight, and is also found in some foods and pharmaceutical preparations.

This substance is simply necessary for a child’s growing body, as it is directly involved in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food in the small intestine and the correct distribution of these elements in bone tissue. In addition, the “sunshine vitamin” is involved in the synthesis of nerve cells and in metabolic processes; with its deficiency, the proportional growth of bones is disrupted and their softening begins, which leads to rickets.

Until the twenties of the last century, rickets was an incurable disease , and only thanks to the observation of veterinarian Edward Mellebdi, who noted that fish oil cures puppies from signs of rickets, scientists began to think that there is a substance, the lack of which in food leads to rickets. Soon this substance was found, and since it was the fourth vitamin discovered by science, it was decided to call it the 4th letter of the English alphabet - D. But at least 7 years passed before scientists came to a common opinion on how to cure rickets in a child with using this substance. Fortunately, at the moment the problem of vitamin deficiency is not so acute, and the number of patients has decreased thanks to timely universal prevention through sunbathing in the warm season and pharmaceutical preparations containing vitamin D.

Signs of rickets in a child

The first signs of rickets in children 1 year of age are manifested by the baby’s nervousness, photophobia and fearfulness. As a rule, vitamin D deficiency and associated disorders of bone tissue and nerves appear at 2-3 months of age. You can recognize the initial stage of rickets by comparing the symptoms in infants with the following list:

• Poor sleep;
• Tearfulness;
• Anxiety;
• Convulsions;
• Sweating, the baby is covered in fine sweat even if he is not hot;
• The baby gives off a sour smell, possibly causing heat rash;
• There is baldness on the back of the head;
• The fontanelle does not overgrow and has soft edges of the skull bones;
• General muscle weakness, the baby is not in good shape, is constantly drowsy and lethargic.

Signs of rickets in infants have three stages - initial, active and recovery phase. It should be noted that signs of rickets in the active stage are observed only in children under one year of age, during the period of the most intensive growth; the disease in a later period occurs in a milder form.

Rickets in children under one year of age in the active phase begins by six months and has the following symptoms:

• In places where bone tissue transitions into cartilaginous tissue, compactions are observed, this is especially noticeable on the wrists and ankles of the feet, and tubercles appear on the ribs. This is due to the proliferation of bone tissue in the absence of calcium in it;
• Muscle tissue dysfunction;
• Psychomotor delays in development, the baby is not active, does not make attempts to roll over, sit up, or raise his head on his own;
• Bones are susceptible to osteomalacia and become soft, this is especially expressed in the bones of the skull; they are characterized by unilateral flattening of the occiput and bulging of the suprafrontal tubercles;
• Delayed teething;
• Flexibility of joints;
• Flat, big belly;
• The child’s chest also undergoes changes, which can acquire a depressed configuration or, on the contrary, a sharp keel;
• Formation of a narrowed pelvis and curvature of the legs.

Along with visible changes in muscle and bone tissue, rickets in children is accompanied by other symptoms, such as changes in internal organs, enlargement of the spleen and liver.

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The recovery stage is characterized by normalization of motor activity, improvement of tone and nervous system.

Signs of rickets in a 2-year-old child gradually disappear, pain when walking goes away, bone tissue is restored, and anemia goes away.

Today, it is rare to encounter this disease in an acute form, since rickets manifests itself in children under one year of age, and a timely prevention program leaves virtually no chance for the disease to progress.

Advice from pediatrician Irina Ruzhenkova:

To prevent the baby from developing rickets, it is necessary to carry out drug prevention of this disease in the first 2 years of life.

Vitamin D is needed by a person at any age, but is especially important for growing organisms, because it regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus (and through them, bone growth) and is involved in immune reactions.

Calciferol enters the body with food or is synthesized in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

Most calciferol is found in liver, caviar, fish and fish oil, eggs, and butter. In the first year of life, the child does not receive these products at all or receives them in limited quantities.

Research in recent years has shown that the level of insolation in most of Russia is insufficient to produce the required amount of calciferol in the skin. Almost the entire population of the country suffers from vitamin D deficiency.

Therefore, it is necessary to administer calciferol as a medicine. A preventive dose of vitamin D is considered to be 500 - 1000 IU daily. For premature babies and residents of northern regions, it may be higher.

It is important to consider that modern infant formulas include calciferol. Therefore, it is better if the doctor determines the dose of vitamin D required for the child, taking into account all the features.

Irina is a pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences. Author of five popular science publications and a textbook for secondary educational institutions. Has the highest qualification category. Total work experience 37 years.

Treatment of rickets in children

Rickets in children has certain symptoms, which Komarovsky considers at an early stage to be a reason for additional examinations, such as a blood test for calcium and phosphorus, as well as x-rays.

Signs of rickets such as sweating and a state of nervousness in children under one year old are not indicators, as Komarovsky says, and prescribing a therapeutic dose of vitamin D in some cases is simply disastrous for the baby, as it can cause changes in the kidneys and liver.

Before treating rickets in a child, it is necessary to examine him not only for signs of vitamin deficiency, but also to find out the possible cause of vitamin D deficiency; perhaps this substance is not absorbed due to intestinal dysbiosis.

Treatment of rickets in children under one year of age consists of prescribing vitamin D and calcium supplements in a dosage exceeding the preventive dose. However, to avoid intoxication, the baby undergoes weekly blood tests for calcium levels.

UV irradiation procedures are also carried out in winter, as well as salt bath courses. The diet consists of limiting carbohydrate foods.

Treatment of rickets in children after one year is practically no different from how to treat rickets in children under one year old; fish dishes, protein and fermented milk products are added to the child’s menu. Rehabilitation massage courses are prescribed to restore muscle tone and motor activity of the baby. The daily routine includes long walks in the sun, naps during the day, and general rest for the baby.

Prevention of rickets in children under one year of age

Modern parents practically do not know what rickets is in children under one year old, since with the discovery of vitamin D and its effect on the processes of calcium absorption, this problem has disappeared. However, even now in areas where there is little sun or poor child care conditions, the clinical picture of this disease may manifest itself.

The absorption of the vitamin occurs even during gestation in late pregnancy, which is why it is so important to follow a daily routine during pregnancy, take multivitamins, and walk in the fresh air.

Babies born prematurely do not receive the vitamin content they should, therefore, to prevent rickets, they may be prescribed vitamin D in small dosages from the first days, as well as sunbathing.

Even in winter, when the sun comes out from behind the clouds, it is useful to lay babies naked in front of the window to receive a portion of natural vitamin D. Glass does not allow ultraviolet rays to pass through, so the window must be open.

The disease rickets in children is currently almost never found in developed countries, but remains a significant problem for residents of developing regions (Africa, South America, parts of Asia).

In these countries, the cause of rickets in children in most cases is not just a deficiency of vitamin D, but also a deficiency of calcium in the diet.

This is, of course, connected with an unfavorable social situation and malnutrition, simply put, with hunger.

However, cases of rickets are also periodically recorded in developed countries. especially in families of adherents of certain types of nutrition: vegetarians, raw foodists, etc.

Periodically, leading scientists collect and update data on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of rickets. The most recent consensus guidelines for rickets were developed in 2021. The following recommendations can be found in them:

• children under six months of age need to receive 200 mg of calcium per day from food, children aged 6-12 months - 260 mg to prevent rickets;
• For children under one year of age, the prophylactic dose of vitamin D is 400 IU/day;
• It is preferable to get vitamin D from foods rich in it;
• The therapeutic dose of vitamin D can be 2000 IU/day;
• The duration of treatment should be at least 12 weeks.

Doctor Komarovsky: rickets and vitamin D

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Source: https://tajnvrach.ru/vypuklyj-lob-u-grudnichka-doktor-komar.html

Description of the disease

This disease has three stages of development. A mild degree involves minor changes in the infant’s muscular and nervous systems. The second is characterized by moderate, but at the same time distinct deformations of the chest, skull, and limbs of the infant. It also entails minor changes in the nervous, muscular, skeletal and hematopoietic systems, some dysfunctions of internal organs; in infants, the spleen and liver may increase in size, and anemia may occur. Severe disease is characterized by pronounced changes in the above-mentioned body systems. Due to the fact that deformation of the chest occurs, the baby is always in a state of hypoventilation. Therefore, he may experience shortness of breath, harsh breathing, accompanied by an extended exhalation. In addition, wet or dry wheezing is possible.

Often, infants experience classic rickets, caused by a deficiency of vitamin D in their body, which provokes a disturbance in phosphorus-calcium metabolism. As a result, it leads to thinning and softening of bone tissue, deterioration of the functioning of internal organs and the nervous system.

As a rule, the onset and exacerbation of the disease can be observed in winter, early spring, and late autumn.

Causes of a protruding forehead in newborns: is it possible to correct the bulge?

A convex forehead in a baby is a cause of concern on the part of parents. Sometimes it indicates the development of dangerous pathologies. From the article, the reader will learn why a child has an enlarged forehead, how dangerous it is, and whether it needs to be treated.

The child has a big forehead

Causes of a bulging forehead

The causes of a bulging forehead in a child vary.

Skull dehiscence

The child has fontanelles during the first months of life. As intracranial pressure increases, they increase. In this case, the central fontanel becomes higher than the level of the head, provided that the baby is in an upright position. If intracranial pressure increases in a child, the sutures of the skull may diverge.

Attention! The dehiscence of the sutures occurs due to the fact that the bones of the skull have not yet completely ossified. The veins on the head protrude slightly, sometimes forming a venous network.

The divergence of the seams is explained by natural causes. The fact is that the body independently regulates intracranial pressure. “Stretching” the skull helps avoid injury and brain damage. When the pressure inside the skull decreases, the condition quickly stabilizes without causing negative consequences for the body.

Congenital intracranial pressure

Congenital cranial pressure (ICP) is not an independent pathology, but a symptom of a certain nervous disease. Causes of ICP:

• increased formation of cerebrospinal fluid;
• the presence of defects that contribute to the deterioration of cerebrospinal fluid circulation;
• deterioration of cerebrospinal fluid absorption;
• hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus

Note! In children, a congenital form of hydrocephalus is most often found, which develops during the period of intrauterine development.

Predisposing factors for the development of ICP:

• genetic or chromosomal diseases;
• fetal infection;
• severe degree of prematurity;
• placental insufficiency;
• severe somatic pathologies of pregnancy;
• development of diseases with severe metabolic disorders.

Anatomical feature

Each person is different from each other; head size plays a major role here. If parents notice that the child has a high forehead, it should be shown to a doctor. Examining the child, measuring the size of the head, and in some cases, conducting ultrasound diagnostics will help answer the question of whether head enlargement is normal or pathological.

Attention! If a baby’s forehead protrudes and no pathology is found during the examination, parents should not worry. The bones will change over time, and the size of the skull will return to normal.

Birth injury

It occurs as a result of damage to fetal tissue during childbirth. When the tissues of the head swell, a so-called birth tumor is formed. The swelling disappears after a few days.

Birth injury

Due to ruptures of blood vessels, hemorrhage occurs under the periosteum of the cranial bones. This phenomenon is accompanied by an increase in the size of the skull. The hematoma completely disappears by about 8 weeks of life.

If there is a large cephalohematoma (over 6 cm in diameter), the child must undergo an X-ray of the skull to exclude possible bone cracks.

Should I worry?

Large fontanel in a child - causes and consequences

Facial changes in children can be either an individual characteristic of the body or a symptom of a disease. Only medical supervision will determine the presence of pathology. If a child has a large forehead, this should be a reason to see a doctor.

If a newborn has a high forehead, you need to pay attention to whether he has symptoms of ICP:

• swelling of the central fontanel;
• divergence of the sutures of the skull;
• formation of a venous network on the head;
• frequent regurgitation;
• trembling of hands or chin;
• lethargy;
• delays in physical and psycho-emotional development;
• reducing weight gain;
• sleep disorders;
• symptom of the setting sun (in this case, the baby’s eyes look down, the lower part of the iris is covered);
• cramps and increased muscle tone.

Parents should consult a doctor immediately if head circumference increases by more than 7 cm per month.

Examinations of a child by a neurologist

Why red eyes in a newborn baby - what to do

A neurologist should examine the baby at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The doctor checks:

• the presence of unconditioned reflexes;
• muscle tone;
• coordination of movements;
• baby's head circumference;
• ability to roll over, hold head, recognize parents;
• ability to rise to one's feet, stand and walk by hand.

Examination of a child by a neurologist

Parents should unscheduled show the baby if there are seizures, restless sleep, swelling and pulsation of the fontanel.

If parents call a neurologist to their home, they must adhere to the following requirements:

• the examination should be carried out on a changing table;
• It is necessary to maintain a calm environment at home;
• the examination should be done approximately half an hour after feeding;
• the air temperature should not be lower than 25 degrees.

Diagnosis of ICP in children

Why can bleeding come from the ear of a child under one year old when cleaning?

The main methods for diagnosing congenital cranial pressure in infants are:

1. Examination by a pediatric neurologist with a mandatory check of the condition of the fontanel, assessment of muscle tone and measurement of the child’s head circumference.
2. Examination of the fundus by an ophthalmologist.
3. Neurosonography.
4. Computed magnetic resonance imaging.

Neurosonography is carried out only when the large fontanelle is open - it is capable of transmitting ultrasound. In this case, the doctor evaluates the size of the ventricles. Their increase is a sign of increased intracranial pressure.

For ICP, the encephalography method is widely used. A doctor can find out the exact indicators of intracranial pressure in a baby using a puncture of the ventricles of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. Such procedures may be prescribed if other research methods have proven ineffective.

Encephalography in a child

Prognosis for ICP

With timely treatment and the use of all effective methods, the prognosis for high cranial pressure is favorable. The baby will develop fully, and all its indicators will be within normal limits. If parents try to self-medicate without knowing the causes of the pathology, the consequences can be severe. Possible complications of ICP:

• delayed development of an infant;
• development of dropsy of the brain;
• the appearance of painful headaches.

Enlargement of a baby's forehead should not go unnoticed by parents. If the child does not sleep well, develops convulsions, or experiences profuse and frequent regurgitation, he should be seen by a doctor immediately. The full development of the baby depends on when treatment begins.

Source: https://kpoxa.info/zdorovie-pitanie/u-rebenka-bolshoy-lob.html

First symptoms

The first signs of rickets in infants are associated with functional changes in the nervous system. The baby becomes restless, irritable, and cries often. A baby with rickets may flinch at any loud sound or react to a sudden flash of light.

A sick child experiences excessive sweating, especially at night, and also during feeding. Even if the room is not hot and the baby is lightly dressed, his body becomes damp, and the baby’s feet and palms sweat. At the same time, the sweat itself has an unpleasant, slightly sour odor, it can irritate the skin and cause itching.

Experiencing these uncomfortable sensations, the baby begins to rub his head on the pillow, which causes the hair on the back of his head to fall out, and the child develops a rickety “bald spot.”

Rickets in infants can lead to damage to the chest and skull. In the initial stages of the disease, the first sign of damage to the baby’s skeletal system is soft, pliable occipital, parietal, and in some cases, frontal and temporal bones, as well as the edges of the small and large fontanelles. Similar softened areas can also be found on the surface of the cranial sutures.

This disease develops quite quickly in infants, so a couple of weeks after the first signs of the disease appear, it enters the peak stage, which is called “blooming rickets.” Then there is an increase in the parietal and frontal tubercles, the baby’s head becomes square in shape with a pronounced “Olympic” forehead.

A child with rickets has soft and curved ribs, a deformed and compressed chest on the sides. The appearance of a so-called rachitic hump is possible. In the future, the baby may experience all kinds of deformations of the tubular bones. At the same time, the phalanges of the fingers (“strings of pearls”) and the bones of the forearm (“rickets bracelets”) become thicker, the bones of the pelvis and lower extremities become deformed, the legs look like the letter O. If the baby is not treated in time, changes caused by rickets can progress in the second and even third year of life. In such cases, changes in the skeleton remain with him for life.

In addition to deformations of the skeletal system, a sick child experiences slower growth of teeth, failure of the lungs and heart, and disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, which are often accompanied by constipation. In this case, vegetative-vascular changes (increased sweating, marbled skin color) may also be observed.

As a rule, infants with rickets lag behind their peers in development; they later begin to sit and walk, are prone to colds, and often suffer from pneumonia. Therefore, when a mother notices the first signs of this disease in her baby, she should immediately contact a pediatrician, who will select the optimal dose of vitamin D for the baby.

A child has a protruding forehead - it protects health

A convex forehead in a baby is a cause of concern on the part of parents. Sometimes it indicates the development of dangerous pathologies. From the article, the reader will learn why a child has an enlarged forehead, how dangerous it is, and whether it needs to be treated.

The child has a big forehead

Protruding forehead and eyes in a child: should I worry?

Each person is special, therefore the norms of body structure for an adult are conditional. In childhood, the body is structured differently, so parents are concerned about some of the child’s characteristics. A child’s bulging forehead is a common reason for parents to consult a doctor. Let's try to understand the causes of a convex forehead and find out whether this is normal or pathological.

What could be the causes of a bulging forehead?

When a baby is born, the size of the head is one of the determining factors of birth, since the head is the first to pass through the birth canal. How the birth will proceed depends on its volume. A child's head, in relation to the proportion of his body, is larger than that of an adult, which can sometimes alarm his parents. Therefore, we will consider the most common causes of a bulging forehead in a newborn.

Causes of a protruding forehead in a child:

• physiological feature;
• signs of rickets;
• hydrocephalus.

Find out when asymmetry of the lateral ventricles of the brain occurs in adults.

Did you know that fetal ventriculomegaly is a pathological condition of the brain?

Rickets

Rickets is a common cause of changes in the facial part of the skull. This serious disease, which occurs quite often among children under three years of age, is associated with vitamin D deficiency. Rickets occurs in all countries of the world, but most of all in northern regions where there is a lack of sunlight.

Vitamin D enters the body with animal food or is produced under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The task of vitamin D is to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and deposit these microelements into bone tissue.

In the first months of vitamin D deficiency, the symptoms of rickets are not specific and may go unnoticed by parents. The baby appears:

• tearfulness;
• sleep disorders;
• excessive irritability;
• sweating;
• baldness of the back of the head;
• indigestion.

If the deficiency continues, then after a month the following symptoms appear:

• muscle hypotonia;
• late teething;
• bone deformities;
• late closure of the fontanel.

Bone deformities are the main symptoms that are characteristic of rickets, and they remain for life, even if the lack of vitamin D is compensated.

Bone deformities:

• wheel-shaped or X-shaped change in the lower extremities;
• changes in the pelvic bones; in girls, this will affect the course of labor as they age;
• the ribs thicken - rachitic “rosary”;
• convex forehead: parietal and frontal tubercles grow;
• the head resembles a square shape and becomes disproportionately large;
• the wrist joints thicken - “bracelets”.

These symptoms appear during the height of the disease and are associated with excessive osteogenesis. In adulthood, bone deformities remain and manifest themselves in the form of poor posture, deformation of the lower extremities, and narrowing of the pelvis.

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalic syndrome is the excess production and accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. In children, the syndrome is manifested by an enlarged head and swelling of the fontanel. The main diseases that lead to hydrocephalus:

• intrauterine infection;
• congenital abnormalities of brain development;
• infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis);
• brain neoplasms.

Hydrocephalus has the following symptoms:

• decreased muscle tone;
• the appearance of pathological reflexes;
• convulsive syndrome;
• strabismus or “setting sun” syndrome;
• lethargy or, conversely, restlessness of the child.

The main manifestation of hydrocephalus is a disproportionate increase in head volume and an increase in circumference by 1 cm or more every month.

Due to increased production of cerebrospinal fluid, the ventricles of the brain expand. The fluid penetrates into the periventricular space, causing damage to brain tissue.

As a consequence of increased intracranial pressure, the bones of the skull become thinner and the space between the bones widens. The fontanelle swells and pulsates, the scalp tightens, and the veins of the head swell.

The photo shows a convex forehead in a child as a result of rickets (hydrocephalus).

Protruding eyes: causes

Protruding eyes in medical practice are called exophthalmos. This can be either a variant of the norm (anatomical feature) or a consequence of the disease. The main cause of bulging eyes is thyroid disease.

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland that leads to increased production of hormones. An excess of thyroxine leads to the following symptoms:

• increased heart rate over 90 beats per minute (sometimes over 120);
• weight loss;
• hand tremors;
• insomnia, anxiety, headaches, changes in blood pressure;
• disorders of the menstrual cycle in women and spermatogenesis in men;
• enlargement of the eyes due to subcutaneous tissue.

Changes in the eyes during thyrotoxicosis: they become wide open, swollen, and therefore bulging. Over time, vision weakens due to swelling of the optic nerve. The disease requires consultation and treatment with an endocrinologist.

Read why microcephaly occurs in a child, how does it manifest itself and what are the prognosis for the baby and his parents?

Do you know which hematomas on the head of newborns are dangerous and which do not cause problems?

Find out why tremors appear in infants: causes, manifestations, connections with other pathologies.

Should I be concerned about facial changes?

You have examined the main causes of facial changes in children: enlargement of the forehead and eyes. This may be either an individual characteristic or a disease. And only a doctor, upon examination and carrying out the necessary examinations, will be able to make or remove a diagnosis. Therefore, any change in the shape or size of the head requires consulting a doctor.

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Source: https://zdorovshit.ru/u-rebenka-vypirayushhij-lob.html

Treatment

Only a doctor should prescribe treatment for ICP in children.

• To eliminate the consequences of a difficult pregnancy and difficult childbirth, you need to breastfeed your baby for a long time, maintain a sleep schedule, maintain emotional contact with him and walk in the fresh air more often.
• The child is prescribed medications that calm the nervous system, improve blood circulation, vitamins, and diuretics.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures are used. Swimming helps a lot.
• If the cause of increased ICP is an anatomical disorder, then the child undergoes surgery in order to restore the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain.

Prognosis for ICP

In most children, intracranial pressure returns to normal by the age of six months. This happens when perinatal encephalopathy (reversible brain damage) is promoted by hypertension.

If recovery does not occur, the diagnosis already sounds different: “Minimal cerebral dysfunction.” This does not mean that the baby is seriously ill. He simply has a weak nervous system, and at critical moments in life his ICP may increase, and his state of health may worsen.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to take courses of preventive treatment in the fall and spring, before entering kindergarten or school. Limit loads and avoid conflict situations. Observation by a neurologist should be systematic.

Parents do not need to fear that their child will become mentally retarded. ICP syndrome will not reduce his intelligence, but, on the contrary, may develop some talents, such as good memory and musical abilities.

But don’t forget that your baby can get excited easily and get tired quickly, and sometimes simply tire you with his talkativeness.

Treat your child with understanding, because this is the legacy that the disease has left.

In very severe cases of hydrocephalus, surgical intervention is performed. During the intervention, a tube is installed that will remove excess fluid from the cranial cavity. After such an operation, children recover quickly, develop well and keep up with their peers.

After all, the first month of a child’s life becomes for him the first critical period after birth: it is characterized by the intense work of all organs and systems of the body, “responsible” for the adaptation of the newborn to environmental conditions that are fundamentally new for him. By the end of this period, all transition processes should be completed, however, under the influence of unfavorable environmental conditions, with aggravated pregnancy and childbirth, the natural adaptation processes for a newborn can take on a pathological direction and lead to a neurological disease of the child.

It is at this time that it is necessary to visit a neurologist for the first time - usually just to make sure that everything is fine with the baby; but if this is not the case, in order to identify and “capture” the pathology at the very beginning, to prevent the disease from developing. To determine the level of development of the child and exclude neurological pathology, it is important not only to assess the formed reactions to light, sound, motor and psycho-emotional activity of the newborn, but also his appearance (in fact, it is this last topic that my article will mainly be devoted to).

So, what will a neurologist first of all pay attention to when examining a one-month-old baby? On the shape and size of his skull, facial expression, posture, appearance of the skin. Why is this so important? Why are our worries and worries often associated with the presence of deviations in the child’s appearance, especially if this is a change in the shape and size of the skull? This is primarily due to the fact that such changes can be a diagnostic sign of serious diseases - hydrocephalus and microcephaly.

The shape and size of the skull is a possible pathology

Hydrocephalus

- this is an excessive increase in the size of the skull and fontanelles, caused by an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranial cavity. With this disease, the shape of the skull also changes - its cerebral part significantly predominates over the facial part, the frontal part protrudes sharply forward, and a pronounced venous network is observed in the area of ​​the temples and forehead.

Microcephaly

- this is a reduction in the size of the skull and early closure of the fontanelles. With congenital microcephaly, the size of the skull is small from birth, the cranial sutures are narrowed, the fontanelles are either closed or small in size. Subsequently, a slow rate of growth in head circumference is noted, so that sometimes a 2-3 year old child’s skull size is almost the same as at birth. With microcephaly, the skull has a specific shape: the cerebral part of the skull is smaller than the facial part, the forehead is small, sloping, the line of the forehead and nose is sloping.

Conditions such as hydro- and microcephaly subsequently lead to delayed mental and physical development and therefore require correction from a very early age!

...or a reason for further examination?

But should every deviation from the norm clearly indicate a pathological condition? Of course not! Clinical observations show that there are many factors that influence the shape and size of the head. Of course, even a slight increase or decrease in the circumference of the skull in a newborn compared to the age norm can be considered a risk factor for the development of hydrocephalus or microcephaly, but you should not panic when you discover that the baby’s head is slightly larger or smaller than normal: this circumstance should first of all, become a signal for the need for additional examinations to exclude pathological conditions. What kind of examinations are these?

• An absolutely safe and reliable method is neurosonography
  (ultrasound examination of the brain through the large fontanel). This study will help not only to see changes in the structure of the brain and signs of increased intracranial pressure, but also to evaluate blood flow through the main vessels of the brain.
• An even more reliable method is nuclear magnetic resonance of the brain (NMR), however, this study for children is carried out under general anesthesia, so it is carried out only for sufficiently compelling indications.
• In this case, consultations with an ophthalmologist and a neurosurgeon are also necessary.

Homework for parents

In addition, right from birth, you can independently control the growth of your baby’s head circumference

, which is one of the main indicators of normality and pathology. How to do this correctly?

• Measure the child's head circumference weekly and record the resulting numbers in a specially kept notebook.
• When measuring, place the measuring tape at the most protruding points of the skull (frontal and occipital protuberances).
• To avoid misunderstandings, the measurement must be carried out by the same person.

In addition to the increase in head circumference, you can control the increase in chest circumference

, which is one of the general anthropometric indicators of child development. For this:

• Measure your chest circumference weekly on the same day you measure your head circumference;
• Place the measuring tape at the level of the baby's nipple line.

Why is such “amateur activity” needed? By taking these simple measurements, you will help the doctor draw up an objective picture of the child’s development, and you yourself can have peace of mind, excluding the possibility of developing serious diseases (normally, the monthly increase in head circumference in the first three months of a full-term baby should not exceed 2 cm per month; up to a year, the circumference The chest is approximately 1 cm larger than the child’s head circumference).

Well, now a few words about what can and should be normal and what is pathological. I tried to frame the conversation on this topic in the form of answers to questions that most often concern young parents.

What determines the shape of a newborn’s skull?

Normally, as a child passes through the birth canal, the bones of the skull overlap each other. Features of the course of the birth process affect changes in the shape of the skull. In the event of a complicated birth, a sharp juxtaposition of the skull bones may occur on top of each other, and this will lead to its deformation, which will persist for quite a long time.

Changes in the shape of the skull may result in persistent swelling

soft tissues of the head in the place where the child moved forward along the birth canal.
The swelling disappears within the first 2-3 days. Cephalohematoma
(bleeding under the periosteum) also changes the shape of the skull. It resolves more slowly than swelling, and this process requires the supervision of specialists (neurologist, surgeon).

Changes in the shape of the skull are also associated with age-related characteristics. In a newborn, the skull is elongated in the anteroposterior direction, and after a few months the transverse size of the skull will increase and its shape will change.

Some change in the shape and size of the skull can also occur during normal development in premature babies, or when the child is often placed on the same side, or when the child lies on his back for a long time.

How does a newborn's head grow?

The average head circumference of a newborn is 35.5 cm (the range of 33.0-37.5 cm is considered normal). The most intensive increase in head circumference in full-term babies is observed in the first 3 months - on average, 1.5 cm for each month. Then the growth decreases slightly, and by the age of one year the child’s head circumference is on average 46.6 cm (normal limits are 44.9 - 48.9 cm).

The head circumference of a premature baby increases faster than that of a full-term baby, and the increase is most pronounced during the period of active weight gain, and by the end of the 1st year of life it reaches normal values. The exception is very premature babies.

However, one should always keep in mind that even with normal development of a child, there may be physiological deviations from average values, which are often associated with constitutional characteristics or environmental influences.

What is a fontanel in a child?

The fontanelles are located in the area where the bones of the skull meet. Front, large

, the fontanel is located between the frontal and parietal bones.
At birth, it measures from 2.5 to 3.5 cm, then gradually decreases by 6 months and closes at 8-16 months. The posterior, small
, fontanel is located between the parietal and occipital bones. It is small in size and closes by 2-3 months of life.

In pathological processes accompanied by increased intracranial pressure, the fontanelles close later, and sometimes they open again. Small sizes of the anterior fontanel may be a variant of the norm if they are not accompanied by a decrease in the circumference of the skull, the rate of its growth and a delay in psychomotor development.

The above signs do not limit the variety of possible deviations in a young child. However, it should be borne in mind that any unusual appearance of a child requires a thorough examination and monitoring of his growth and development.

When and how should a neurologist examine a child?

The development of a young child is a very sensitive sign of the state of the body. It depends both on hereditary characteristics and on a complex set of social conditions and requires dynamic monitoring by doctors. Don’t forget to show your baby to specialists within the prescribed time frame - 1, 3, 6, 12 months!

If you invite a specialist to your home, you must consider the following:

• the examination of the child should be carried out on a changing table or other soft, but not sagging surface;
• the environment should be calm, eliminate distractions if possible;
• It is advisable to carry out the examination 1.5-2 hours after feeding;
• the air temperature in the room should be about 25° C, the lighting should be bright, but not irritating.

In conclusion of the article, I would like to remind you once again: do not delay your visit to a neurologist, remember - the timeliness of all health-improving, preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at ensuring its normal development depends on the correct assessment of the newborn’s health, and only a specialist can give a correct assessment!

Each person is special, therefore the norms of body structure for an adult are conditional. In childhood, the body is structured differently, so parents are concerned about some of the child’s characteristics. A child’s bulging forehead is a common reason for parents to consult a doctor. Let's try to understand the causes of a convex forehead and find out whether this is normal or pathological.

A convex forehead on a baby. A child has a large forehead

It is not uncommon for a baby to develop spots on his head after birth. The baby's body is fragile and weak, so spots can appear from every little thing, but sometimes they appear due to serious illnesses.

Spots on a child's head can vary in texture, appearance and color. The appearance of the rash depends on the cause of the disease and the stage of its development.

Usually, parents notice a red spot on the child’s forehead or shapeless spots on the back of the head.

Most often, inflamed areas of the skin itch and peel. The spots may disappear and appear again. From this article you will learn what are the main causes of spots on a baby’s head, what may be causing the appearance of a spot on a child’s forehead, and what methods exist to eliminate spots.

Atopic dermatitis

Reddened and irritated skin on the cheeks of an infant is a common situation in cold weather. In many cases, such a reaction of the body is genetically determined.

Atopic dermatitis or infantile eczema is characterized not only by redness of the skin, but also by swelling, dryness, flaking and crusting.

Typical localization of the rash is the forehead and cheeks, scalp, arms and legs, and groin area.

Signs of atopic dermatitis usually appear before the 6th month of a child’s life.

Scientists have found that infantile eczema is observed in children whose immediate relatives suffer from dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and asthma. Mom and dad should pay attention to the fact that the child’s condition worsens in winter, when wearing woolen and synthetic clothes, and sweating. The skin becomes inflamed when using creams and lotions with fragrances.

Signs of infant eczema

• rash on the cheeks of an infant, on the forehead and scalp;
• persistent itching, redness and dry skin;
• the baby's constantly chapped cheeks;
• irritability, poor sleep of the baby;
• fresh combs, scabs.

It is almost impossible to prevent atopic dermatitis due to its genetic nature. You can help your child avoid the influence of provoking factors, shorten periods of exacerbation of the disease and prolong remission. The room where the baby plays and sleeps should not be too cold or hot.

You should choose cotton clothes, wash and rinse children's clothes thoroughly.

After bathing the child, it is recommended to apply moisturizing creams and oils that do not contain aromatic fragrances to the body.

Local treatment prescribed by the pediatrician consists of the use of antihistamines, antipruritic lotions, ointments or creams with corticosteroids (GCS). In some cases, combined external agents containing corticosteroids and an antibiotic are used. A hypoallergenic diet is also considered a treatment for atopic dermatitis.

Causes of spots on a child’s head

Spots on a baby’s head may appear for the following reasons:

• Food allergies - some foods for a baby can be either a minor irritant or a dangerous allergen that causes changes on the scalp. Most often, during an allergic reaction, red spots appear on the child’s head with wet blisters that form scabs.
• Rejection of medications. Some antibiotics and vitamins can cause so-called drug spots, which gradually disappear after stopping the medication.
• Dermatitis - many chemicals (conditioners, powders) can cause red spots to appear on a child’s head.
• Miliaria - spots that look like a burn. They can appear for various reasons, but most often from stress, mechanical friction and sudden changes in temperature.
• Infectious disease - in this case, spots in the head area signal a serious problem.

Causes of rashes

Doctors name three main reasons for the appearance of a rash on the head of an infant:

1. The baby's hormonal levels are developing. In the first months, small pimples may appear that do not cause discomfort to the child. They do not itch, do not hurt, and the baby’s appetite and sleep are not disturbed. It is necessary to observe the child and if the swelling has not spread to other parts of the body, then it should be expected to disappear soon. However, the neonatal rash may not go away for several months.
2. Diathesis. A fairly common cause of rash. It occurs when a breastfeeding mother does not follow nutritional rules and includes sweet or allergy-causing foods in her diet. A woman should especially carefully monitor her diet.
3. Diaper rash. The baby's skin is very delicate, so any changes in the weather immediately affect it. You should not overwrap your baby; a stuffy room will inevitably lead to prickly heat throughout the body, including the head. Diaper rash quickly merges into a single spot, with the formation of characteristic crusts. Fullness passes quickly enough if normal child care is observed.

There are other types of rashes that are more dangerous to the health of the baby.

A child has a red spot on his forehead: what is the reason?

Parents often notice spots of irregular or regular shape on the forehead or other parts of the body, as well as hemorrhages and rashes. Doctors call all these manifestations “birthmarks.”

If you notice a spot on a child’s forehead, you should definitely show the neoplasm to a pediatrician and pediatric dermatologist so that they can accurately determine the nature of its origin.

In many infants, tufts of red blood vessels appear on the eyelids, on the back of the neck or on the forehead, protruding through the skin. Such red spots on a child’s forehead are not dangerous. They will gradually go away or become pale as the baby's skin becomes thicker. Sometimes it happens that the spot disappears, and then appears when the baby cries or tenses.

But sometimes spots on a child’s head cause abnormalities that affect the arteries, veins and capillaries. These are vascular nevi, which doctors divide into angiodysplasia and hemangiomas.

Hemangioma is a benign tumor that is often found in newborns and usually appears in the first days of a baby’s life. It looks like blue, purple or red spots that rise above the skin.

In development, this neoplasm goes through three main stages: active growth, cessation of growth and reverse development. Often the spots go away on their own and are not dangerous. If the tumor grows very quickly, doctors may suggest removing it.

Angiodysplasia (flaming nevus or port-wine stains) are red spots on a child’s forehead that appear due to malformations of blood vessels. Most often these spots are red, pink or purplish-purple.

Such spots increase over time as the baby grows, darken and progress. They are not dangerous to health, but they are a serious cosmetic flaw that can negatively affect a child’s self-esteem.

Source: https://SuperDetkiDV.ru/zdorove/syp-na-zatylke-u-rebenka-2.html

Features of the head shape of a newly born baby

When the fetus passes through the birth canal, it experiences pressure and adapts to it. The skull bones of newborn children are not yet fused to each other and are mobile relative to each other. This is intended by nature itself in order to reduce the risk of injury to a minimum. That is why the shape of the head of a newly born person is somewhat elongated, oblong. Over time, the peculiarity will pass, and there is no need to be afraid, this is a physiological norm.

Within a week, Matthew's diagnosis was confirmed by Dr. Sandy Lam, director of craniofacial surgery at Texas Children's Hospital. Ten days later, Matthew underwent endoscopic surgery to open the skull along the sagittal suture and remove pieces of the growth.

“It was one of the hardest things we've ever done,” Megan says. That feeling of handing over a small child to an anesthesiologist was scary. We handed it over, said a prayer and went to the reception area. For five hours, anxious parents watched updates on a computer monitor and spoke with a nurse, who came out periodically to report the results. Finally, Matthew entered the recovery room.

The table reflecting the size and girth of a newborn’s head starts at 35-37 cm, which is considered the average for a healthy child. Any strong deviation upward or downward indicates pathology and requires careful monitoring. It is quite possible that a birth injury occurred during the birth process, and this affected the baby’s head. This occurs quite often, especially if the birth was natural, and can be successfully treated.

“He was completely unrecognizable,” Megan says. "It was so swollen." "He was inconsolable for a short time," she adds. It was so difficult. No parent can prepare for how this feels. Encouraged by the nurses, Megan grabbed Matthew and hugged him. Both parents sang to their child - a Latin hymn, "Regina Caeli" - and he eventually calmed down.

The next day Matthew went home. It continued to swell, which is normal,” Megan says. “On the third day he perked up, looked at his big sister and smiled.” Matthew spent four months in a helmet and now, eight months after surgery, he is a normal, healthy baby, ready to celebrate his first birthday.

What if there was a caesarean section?

If the baby was born through surgery, his head will be slightly different. It’s not for nothing that doctors say that caesarean babies’ heads are smooth and beautiful, because they didn’t experience any pressure because they didn’t pass through the birth canal. And yet, this is also the norm.

The only thing you need to know is that a child who was surgically removed from the mother’s womb has a slightly larger head circumference and volume than one who was born naturally. The feature can last up to a year. That is why such babies often have a chest narrower than their head. But this does not mean that there was a birth trauma, this is simply the development of caesareans. And to be afraid that your child does not have a big head at all, over time everything will even out.

But if his condition was not discovered as soon as possible, his recovery might not be so smooth. “Early diagnosis is important,” Dr. Although not often discussed, craniosynostosis is surprisingly common. The Bollers hope that by sharing their story, they will encourage other families to pay close attention to their children's development.

Miraculously, Matthew's pediatrician caught it early on. It had no long-term effects, says Dr. Lan, adding that the vast majority of babies who undergo the procedure go on to live normal, productive lives. "When they grow up, you won't even know they had surgery when you look at them," Dr.

So, the shape of a newborn’s head should be elongated, uneven, sometimes slightly compressed in the temple area. The baby is not yet able to hold it on his own, so he throws it back, which is also normal in itself. In a newborn who has undergone a cesarean section, the shape of the head is more even, and the volume and circumference may be slightly larger than those shown in the table.

For Matthew's family, they are simply grateful that the diagnosis and treatment for their child came when it did. We haven’t looked back,” Megan says. At 2 months old, Matthew Bohler had bright eyes, chubby cheeks, and a strange-looking head that was narrow and elongated.

Matthew's mother Megan Boler only thought her new baby had woken up the trend of the family trait of big round heads. We definitely thought it looked a little unusual. We thought maybe he had a weird head,” Boler said. “We didn’t think about any of the consequences.”

Features of changes in the head as the child grows: shape, girth and size

So, we have examined all the features of the circumference and volume of a newborn baby’s head. What progress can be observed during the first year of a baby’s life and when can we expect the first successes from a newborn?

A baby that has just been born is completely helpless; he himself does not hold his head, but only powerlessly throws it back. And here it does not matter how labor proceeded and what method of delivery was used: all new people are equally helpless. The size of their head seems simply huge compared to their small body, and even if the circumference corresponds to the norm, his head still seems too heavy for the baby, and for the first few weeks he will throw it back. In order to train a newborn, he should be placed on his tummy more often: in this position, after some time you will see how the baby holds his head vertically and looks at the space in front of him. When will this happen? After about 2-3 weeks of constant training.

What causes it? The most common cause of deformational plagiocephaly is positional. A newborn's skull is soft and designed for rapid growth. When children rest in one position for long periods of time, the skull begins to flatten from external pressure on it. Because children may spend a lot of time in the “passive recline position,” it is possible that a flat area will develop. Once flattening occurs, it is easier for the head to "relocate" there each time, which can make the flattening worse.

Shifting your newborn's sleeping and resting positions is the best way to improve your baby's head shape. When your baby sleeps, try alternating the head-and-legs position, reversing the way you usually place your baby on his back. When your baby is awake and watching, use more tummy time and lateral positions. Lots of awake tummy time with encouragement will also help by strengthening the neck, shoulder and muscles that will ultimately help your baby change positions.

By one month, a healthy baby, as a rule, already holds his head quite confidently and tries to twist it, but you should still hold it with your hand, because he may accidentally twitch. The size of the skull increases, and with it the diameter and volume also grow. The shape, so uneven at first, becomes more and more rounded. By one month, the baby throws his head back less often, and its girth becomes approximately 3 cm larger.

Carrying, holding, or "carrying" your baby without putting pressure on the back of the head will also promote muscle development and prevent pressure on the patella. Is a bald spot or stripe on the back of your head a cause for concern? Babies between 4 and 7 months of age often have to "pull" the hair area away from turning their head to the side when in car seats, bouncer seats, or sleeping on their back. This ski patch is normal, and unless it is accompanied by significant flattening of the skull, it is not a cause for concern.

Bald patches usually resolve between 9 and 12 months as your baby will sit, crawl and move more, spending less time on the back, allowing time for hair to grow back. Torticollis and flat head. A common cause of deforming plagiocephaly is muscular torticollis. Muscular torticollis is a tightening of certain neck muscles that prevents full movement and keeps the baby's head slightly tilted or turned to the side. Because torticollis forces the child to hold their head at a certain angle, a flat spot may form as the child's head rests against the mattress or seat in the same position for repeated periods of time, resulting in positional plagiocephaly.

At 2 months, the shape of the head is already much more even, and the diameter increases by an average of 2 cm. When your baby reaches the age of 3 months, he no longer throws his head back at all, but confidently rotates it. Only if there was a birth injury, then development may be a little slower.

Further progress continues at this pace. At 3 months, the baby’s head circumference increases by about 1 cm, and this will continue for up to six months. Thus, the diameter of this part of the body in a six-month-old baby should be larger than the original by an average of 8 - 10 cm. The shape becomes proportional, and the size decreases compared to the body.

Torticollis is often missed by parents and health care providers because newborns have short necks and tend to lean or “flop” to one side or the other. Make sure your baby is an "equal chance" - sometimes leaning to the right side and others leaning to the left when sleeping, and check that your baby can turn his head equally on both sides. If you are concerned about persistent head tilt or suspect limited movement of your baby's neck, contact your pediatrician.

For a child with petiole bone, treating the early muscles is very important to achieve full head movement as the child grows. Full movement of the head and neck helps with balance as well as the physical appearance of the baby's head shape. Torticollis is best treated early, during the first few months of your baby's life, when specific stretching and repositioning techniques are most effective. Your pediatrician may refer you to a pediatric physical therapist for specific stretches and positioning tips for your child's specific needs.

By the age of one year, the girth of the head should be approximately 10–12 cm larger than that of the newborn. This is due to the fact that in the second half of life the diameter increases every month by only half a centimeter. In general, growth and weight gain during this period also become less intense. As a rule, a one-year-old child has a head circumference of approximately 45-48 cm.

What about helmets? Fortunately, most flat spots are mild and cosmetic in nature, which means they usually do not require any treatment other than positioning changes and monitoring. Because a baby's skull triples in size during the first year of life, there is ample opportunity for the area to round out.

In more severe cases, where the asymmetry is significant and begins to affect the appearance of the face, or, in situations where the baby was born very early or closes the skull bones early, a helmet may be recommended by your doctor. Helmets made by a specialist are usually very lightweight, made of a hard outer shell and durable foam lining. Gentle pressure limits growth in some areas, allowing the skull to "fill out" and grow freely into flattened areas, rounding the shape of the baby's head. Helmet treatment usually takes 3 to 6 months and is usually successful.

At this time, the fontanel is already completely closed in most children. Babies are becoming more and more curious and active, regardless of whether they had a birth injury or everything went well. And parents are adding more and more troubles and worries every day, but they are the most pleasant and joyful!

Young parents should carefully monitor their baby and understand his mood and physical condition. Many norms are not true for absolutely all children, and may fluctuate within certain limits. Each baby has its own pace of development and its own characteristics, and if he feels good, eats with appetite and actively explores the world around him, then everything is fine with him. This is a basic truth that all moms and dads need to learn.

Table of normal head circumference values

Video about what a fontanel is

Each person is special, therefore the norms of body structure for an adult are conditional. In childhood, the body is structured differently, so parents are concerned about some of the child’s characteristics. A child’s bulging forehead is a common reason for parents to consult a doctor. Let's try to understand the causes of a convex forehead and find out whether this is normal or pathological.

Physiological norm and deviations from it

So, the usual girth is 35-37 cm, slight fluctuations in both directions are allowed. If the discrepancies are significant, then there may be a lot of reasons for this, and young parents need to know about them.

Birth injury

This is one of the most basic reasons that a newborn's head is abnormal. The consequences may vary, but for the most part they are eliminated by a year or even earlier. Most often, the reason that an injury occurred may be the mother’s incorrect behavior during childbirth, the discrepancy between the sizes of the fetus’s head and the woman’s pelvis, and other features of the process of the birth of a little person. All this can be treated and in itself is not so scary.

But during Matthew's 2-month checkup, the pediatrician looked at Boler and said he told her he couldn't find Matthew's soft spot on his head and that he might have a dangerous condition called craniosynostosis. At Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, doctors discovered that Matthew had a type of craniosynostosis called sagittal synostosis, which means his skull had fused to the back of his head too early. As a result, his brain had no room to grow, resulting in his oddly shaped head.

"His brain was growing underneath him, but his skull wouldn't let him do it the way it wanted to," said Dr. Sandy Lam, director of the craniofacial surgery program at Texas Children's Hospital. "There are no drugs that won't use the bone, the treatment is surgery, and basically we have to cut out the bad bone."

Congenital diseases

This is worse than a birth injury. The reason that a baby has a large head may be, for example, hydrocephalus. What it is? This is a very serious disease, often leading to death. However, you shouldn’t be scared right away. The progressive disease is characterized by a very severe course, accompanied by divergence of the sutures of the skull and disorders of not only a physical, but also a mental nature. True hydrocephalus is associated with excess intracranial fluid and is rare.

Lam said Matthew's young age helped him because doctors could do the surgery with fewer cuts and his brain would help reform his skull after surgery. “The skull is very, very thin, we can use different types of instruments and use an endoscope to see everything,” Lam said. Because of all this growth that occurs, the brain actually helps create the new shape of the baby's head. It rounds everything out from the inside and helps determine how everything heals.

Additionally, Lam said it's important to catch the condition early because about 10 percent of children with the condition may end up with high pressure in the brain in the skull, which can be dangerous. In rare cases, this can lead to developmental delays because the brain has failed to grow normally.

In addition, if a newborn's head size is significantly smaller than normal, this may indicate microcephaly. And again, there is no need to panic right away. As a rule, the circumference and volume of a baby's head directly depends on hereditary predisposition, and this factor should also be taken into account. True microcephaly is a rather rare disease and is diagnosed at the stage of intrauterine development.

Matthew only had surgery for 10 weeks and within 72 hours was back to his smiley, playful self. Doctors estimate that he would have to wear a special helmet almost 24 hours a day for 3-12 months. But he should have been wearing it for four months already.

“Within a 10-hour period, the swelling went down and he hasn’t looked back since,” said Boler, who admitted that the 72 hours after surgery “was definitely challenging.” Just weeks after Matthew's first birthday, Boler said you couldn't tell there was anything wrong with Matthew's skull. She said she hopes her story will help other parents catch early warning signs for craniosynostosis.

So, the diameter of a child’s head can be influenced by various factors, including not only some diseases, but also trauma that occurred during childbirth. Sometimes a phenomenon called hemangioma can be observed - a benign tumor that looks like an enlarged birthmark. It appears in the first days of a newborn’s life. When parents notice her, they invariably get scared, but again in vain. What harm can come from hemangioma? In principle, none if it is removed in a timely manner.

You may have seen a child in a store or mall wearing an infant soccer helmet. It is most likely a therapeutic device worn to help correct a misshapen head. Learn how and why asymmetrical head shapes occur, what to watch for, and when to worry about your baby's head shape.

What is deforming plagiocephaly or “flat head”? Also called positional plagiocephaly, deforming plagiocephaly refers to a deformed or asymmetrical head shape. The flat spot is usually located on the back of the baby's head, although in some cases the flat area may be on one side of the skull.