Small bump on baby's head after childbirth

Causes

Birth tumors occur due to compression of the back of the head by the mother's birth canal

Often, bumps on the head of babies appear during childbirth, as well as due to the body’s adaptation to new living conditions. Only in 0.5% of cases do they indicate a serious illness. The most common causes of formations include birth tumors, cephalohematomas, atheromas, hemangiomas, and inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Birth swelling (tumor)

Swelling of the subcutaneous tissue that occurs during childbirth. It forms where the baby moves through the birth canal. If the baby moves the back of his head forward, swelling is observed in this part of the skull. Factors contributing to the occurrence of a birth tumor are:

• large fruit;
• mother's narrow pelvis;
• incorrect presentation of the fetus;
• premature or post-term pregnancy;
• oxygen starvation;
• protracted labor.

The appearance of a birth tumor is a normal process in children born naturally (without cesarean section). After 2-3 days, not a trace remains of it.

Cephalohematoma

Large cephalohematomas can take up to 4 months to resolve

Birth injury of the soft tissues of the skull, located in the area of ​​bone sutures. It has clear outlines and never goes beyond the seams. It is formed due to the displacement of part of the periosteum and the formation of a kind of pocket filled with blood.

There are quite a few reasons that contribute to the occurrence of cephalohematoma: hypoxia, difficult childbirth, post-term pregnancy, hydrocephalus. It could also be:

• umbilical cord entanglement;
• application of forceps or vacuum during childbirth;
• woman's age, over 35 years;
• diabetes mellitus in the mother.

The tumor appears on the 2-3rd day of a baby’s life and disappears without a trace after a week. Sometimes the process of its disappearance drags on for several months, requiring medical intervention.

Atheroma (sebaceous cyst)

Atheroma is a lump due to blockage of the sebaceous gland

It is a round lump filled with fatty tissue. This is a benign formation, formed due to blockage of the ducts of the sebaceous glands. The skin around the swelling does not change color, does not peel off, the seal has clear boundaries and a shell.

The disease develops as a result of insufficient child hygiene, rare bathing, sweating, overheating, and wearing tight synthetic clothing. With a blow or bruise, inflammation and suppuration are possible.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes

If the mother feels a small swelling in the behind-the-ear and occipital region of the baby, which easily moves under the skin when pressed, this is not a lump, but a lymph node. Normally, its size should not exceed a pea.

Inflammation of the lymph nodes in newborns occurs against the background of increased work of the immune system due to viral and infectious diseases, internal inflammation, and oncology.

Hemangioma

Hemangioma is a vascular tumor that is not dangerous

Appears in newborns when blood vessels are deformed. Has a red tint. It is treated under the supervision of a doctor, since if damaged it is prone to suppuration and inflammation. Small hemangiomas are not dangerous, but large lumps can negatively affect surrounding tissues and organs. The tubercles located in the mouth, ears, and nose are considered especially dangerous.

Cephalohematoma

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The next bump that appears on the baby’s head is also associated with birth trauma. Cephalohematoma is formed due to pressure on the bones of the skull and rupture of blood vessels under the skin during childbirth. That is, this is a hemorrhage between the periosteum and the outer surface of the cranial bones. The blood accumulates in a kind of pocket, where up to 150 ml can fit. The development of a hematoma is rare and occurs in approximately 0.5% of newborns.

The lump is soft to the touch for a long time; when pressed, the liquid rolls in wave-like movements within the tumor. Unlike a regular tumor after childbirth, a cephalohematoma has clear boundaries and never extends beyond the sutures. In addition, if the first lump decreases in two days, then the cephalohematoma, on the contrary, gradually increases over the first three days. True, all this time it is disguised as a birth tumor, so the diagnosis is made only on the third day of life.

Reasons for the development of cephalohematoma

All the reasons for this problem lie in the rapid labor activity and pathologies associated with it:

• the size of the fetus is larger than the size of the pelvic ring;
• fetal pathologies (for example, hydrocephalus);
• unnatural position of the head during childbirth (the baby is born not with the back of the head forward, but with the face or crown of the head);
• the birth of a baby late.

Treatment

Cephalohematoma is usually observed without special treatment. If there are no complications, it will resolve in 1.5-2 months on its own, without interfering with the baby’s life and development. The only thing is that such children are not allowed to be rocked to sleep until they are six months old, and they are not allowed to touch the bump without doing anything. It is recommended to gently bathe your baby without using shampoo.

Large cephalohematomas require intervention from doctors

If the hemorrhage is more than 8 cm, the blood is removed by puncturing the lump with two needles. Through one, blood is sucked out, and the other is necessary to compensate for pressure and prevent new hemorrhages. Then a tight bandage is applied. At the same time, it is possible to prescribe vitamin K. The procedure is carried out until the 14th day of the baby’s life.

Complications

Depending on the severity of labor and subcutaneous hemorrhage in the form of a cephalohematoma, the following unpleasant consequences are possible:

1. Suppuration . Occurs when an infection occurs through damaged skin or during the development of other inflammatory diseases. The skin at the location of the hematoma turns red, the temperature rises, and pus oozes from the lump.
2. Ossification (ossification). It occurs when the hematoma is large and there is no proper treatment, as a result of which the shape of the skull is deformed. Ossification is treated by surgical excision.

How dangerous are the cones?

A doctor will help you understand why a newborn baby has a soft or hard bump on its head after giving birth. He will also tell you how dangerous it is. Urgently seek help from a pediatrician in the following cases:

• education is constantly increasing;
• there is redness and peeling around the swelling;
• additional growths have appeared;
• the tumor has thickened and become hard;
• a bleeding wound appeared;
• pus appeared.

A lump on the back of the head in a newborn may appear from a soft tissue bruise, an insect bite, or as a result of an allergic reaction to vaccination. Like a birth tumor, it is not harmful to health and disappears after a few days.

Lymph nodes

Small bumps on the head behind the ears or in the back of the head may be enlarged lymph nodes. As a rule, their increase in infancy is not scary and is due to the fact that the baby’s immune system adapts to the world around it and produces antibodies to the microbes it “gets acquainted with.” By six months, the lymph nodes return to their normal size (a nodule the size of a pea is considered normal).

By the way, a simple mosquito bite can provoke the growth of a lymph node. You only need to worry if the nodes continue to grow, and the skin around them turns red, becomes painful on palpation, and the temperature rises.

Lymphadenitis on the back of the head (inflammation of the lymph nodes) can be a sign of diseases such as rubella, toxoplasmosis, measles or mononucleosis. Enlarged “balls” behind the ear often indicate the development of sore throat or laryngitis.

Diagnostic methods

Ultrasound of the baby's brain is done in the first 3 months of life

To make a primary diagnosis and determine the nature of the lump on the baby’s head, the doctor only needs to examine the problem area, assess its color, size, and general condition of the baby. To confirm the diagnosis, the small patient is referred for general blood and urine tests, magnetic resonance and computed tomography, ultrasound, and x-rays. Based on the results of the examination, treatment is prescribed.

You cannot treat a lump in a child yourself using medications and folk remedies. The newborn should be observed by a qualified specialist.

Causes of injury

Birth trauma in the form of a hematoma is observed in 1-2% of newborns. This is a small bump on the head resulting from hemorrhage or the accumulation of other fluid under the skin, resulting from rupture of blood vessels. Here there are two reasons for the appearance of neoplasms on the head of newborn babies.

The first is squeezing the head while passing through the birth canal. The baby's skull bones are very flexible and separated by two fontanelles. This feature allows the skull to deform to overcome the narrow birth canal. After all, the newborn makes its way through the head, causing it to be compressed - this happens when the structure of the pelvis of the woman in labor is narrow or the child is too large. Most often, everything goes well and without serious consequences, but this causes a hematoma in the newborn. The second prerequisite is the difference in pressure in the womb and in the outside world - here there is a significant difference in atmospheric pressure. The birth process is a strong stretch for the baby and its blood vessels cannot always withstand it, especially when the pressure drop is too high or sudden. This usually happens with a caesarean section - then the baby finds himself in the outside world too quickly. Often, hematomas are formed during vacuum traction of the fetus, when a large pressure drop occurs. There are other reasons for babies getting bumps on their heads. For example, the volume of a child's head is much larger than the width of the birth canal. Also, such formations form in premature babies, even if the birth took place without complications.

This is important: Whatever the nature of the hematoma formation, its treatment is mandatory - it is important to prevent the chances of developing other pathologies that are more dangerous to the baby’s health. Often such neoplasms simply become ossified - the child remains with characteristic “horns” after birth and for the rest of his life.

Treatment of pathology

Often, birth tumors and cephalohematomas do not require special treatment. Mom is advised to monitor their condition, take measurements, and avoid damaging the problem area until it is completely resolved.

If the disease progresses, complications are identified, and surgery is prescribed. The surgeon performs a puncture and removes accumulated fluid from the cavity. Then he applies a tight bandage. After 5-7 days the tumor disappears. The operation does not cause pain to the patient, as it is performed under local anesthesia.

For inflammation of the lymph nodes, drug therapy is prescribed using antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Atheromas are not prone to resorption and are subject to observation for up to 3 years. If the tubercles bother the child or increase in size, they are removed along with the capsule surgically. Large hemangiomas are cauterized with liquid nitrogen, laser, or current.

Birth tumor or hematoma?

Sometimes it is not a hematoma that forms on the head, but a birth tumor. This is swelling of the soft tissues that occurs after childbirth. Externally, a birth tumor and a hematoma are very similar, just a bump on the head. They differ in that the tumor lump is localized on several cranial bones, and the hematoma is located only on one bone, which was injured during childbirth. They can be distinguished by a simple finger press. A birth tumor is diagnosed when the lump is pressed and it begins to move in different directions, and at the same time the hematoma begins to change shape and diverges in a wave-like flow. The presented pathologies after childbirth are not considered severe and do not cause adverse consequences. The doctor will examine the injury, make a diagnosis and, if necessary, prescribe treatment. Parents need to surround their child with care and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

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Possible complications

The lump must be observed in the first months - most often it goes away on its own

The likelihood of complications increases significantly when the pathological process is accompanied by bleeding. If it is not stopped as soon as possible, it may develop:

• Anemia. Appears with large blood loss, accompanied by pale skin, lethargy, weakness, and loss of consciousness.
• Hardening of formation. Leads to deformation of the bones of the infant's skull. The pathology is especially dangerous in the case of ossification of an extensive birth injury. This requires complex treatment, including surgery.
• Jaundice. The disease develops if, during the resorption of the hematoma, bilirubin enters the layers of the skin.
• Tumor suppuration. Occurs due to tissue inflammation as a result of damage or infection of the lump. If therapy is not started in a timely manner, blood poisoning may occur with the penetration of pathogenic microbes into the brain tissue. Such consequences have disappointing prognoses, ranging from mental retardation to death.
• Torticollis. Characterized by tilting the head to the right or left. Develops due to shortening or dysfunction of muscle tissue.

If a child was born with a bump on the head, there is no need to worry prematurely. In most cases, the tubercles resolve on their own without causing serious consequences. Mom should observe the tumor, monitor its condition, measure it. If it does not decrease, begins to bleed or rot, treatment must be started immediately.

Types of neoplasms on the head

The resulting neoplasm on the head of a newborn comes in several types:

• Cephalohematoma - this type of injury occurs most often. Such a lump is located between the skull bone and the periosteum tissue - a cephalohematoma appears as an accumulation of blood. If the lump is small, it can resolve on its own in 1-2 weeks. If a newborn is found to have a lump on his head, it will most likely be a cephalohematoma. You should not demand that your doctor prescribe urgent treatment. Most often, this is not necessary, because the cephalohematoma will disappear without a trace on its own, without harming the baby or affecting its development and well-being. If the doctor notices that the cephalohematoma is not shrinking, then appropriate and safe medical intervention is prescribed.
• Intracerebral - in this case, the blood enters directly into the brain. Such a hematoma requires mandatory treatment.
• Subdural - accumulation of blood under the membrane of the brain. It usually forms after a difficult birth and in weakened children. Treatment is in the form of injections prescribed by a doctor.
• Epidural is the most dangerous hematoma, because a vessel ruptures between the skull and the lining of the brain. This requires immediate medical intervention, otherwise it can cost your life.

The bump on the baby’s head after childbirth should go away on its own after 1-2 weeks. The resorption time depends on the size of the hematoma. If the bruise gradually becomes smaller and does not cause concern to the baby, this is a favorable outcome of the injury. To know the exact diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound, x-ray, CT and MRI of the brain.

Treatment of cephalohematoma after childbirth

Since cephalohematoma on the head of a child after childbirth is most common, methods for its elimination should be considered. If the cephalohematoma does not resolve on its own, the newborn undergoes a puncture, when the doctor uses two special needles to pump out all the liquid from the lump. One needle pumps out the blood, and the other regulates the pressure to avoid pressure drop. Such a surgical intervention is carried out safely for the baby’s health and painlessly, since a local anesthetic is used. Be that as it may, puncture is the most effective therapy in eliminating cephalohematoma. If the cephalohematoma is large, then drug treatment is prescribed after surgery. For children with poor blood clotting, the doctor prescribes hemostatic drugs. It is advisable that the newborn receive breast milk until final recovery. It is with mother's milk that the baby's body receives all the necessary substances that strengthen it and prevent infection and suppuration.