The fontanel is a characteristic feature of the structure of the skull of a newborn baby. It is a soft area on the parietal part of the head between the parts of the skull. This area does not have bone tissue, and is closed by a durable membrane. The fontanel in infants allows the bones of the skull to contract during childbirth while the baby passes through the birth canal.
What are the fontanelles of newborns?
Newborn children have six fontanelles. The largest is the front, the second largest is the rear. There are two more mastoid and two wedge-shaped. Two main fontanelles usually remain open after childbirth: frontal (large) and occipital (small).
Sizes of fontanelles
The large fontanel resembles the shape of a rhombus. It is considered normal if its size is in the range of 1-3 centimeters. Most often, such a fontanel in children is 1.7-2.5 centimeters. And at the age of three months, it decreases to 1-1.5 centimeters.
To correctly determine the size of the frontal fontanel, you must add its longitudinal and transverse diameters and divide the resulting amount by 2. The small fontanel resembles a triangle. Its dimensions usually do not exceed 0.7 centimeters. Although most often a child is born already with a closed small fontanel. But do not worry if the size and shape of the fontanel in a child is different from the standard. Each child is individual. Consult a pediatrician to determine if this is a concern.
Spring closure dates
Four lateral fontanel in full-term infants are closed to birth, in premature infants - in the first few days after birth. The occipital fontanel in infants completely closes in 2-3 months. But there are no exactly specified deadlines for closing the largest fontanel. This is a very individual process. It can grow to 12 months, and maybe in 1.5 and 2 years. In recent years, thanks to the acceleration of children, the frontal fontanel disappears by 10 months.
What is the reason for the early closure of the frontal fontanel?
Early is the closure of the fontanel before the third month of the baby's life. Usually this is due to the passion for the future mother to take multivitamins and calcium-rich foods, resulting in small and fairly dense fontanelles in the child. Therefore, you should follow the norm in taking vitamins by gestational age.
Why is it dangerous?
Early closure of the fontanel has a significant effect on the full development of the brain, interfering with its normal growth. The danger is that early overgrown
fontanel can be the cause of serious illness in infants. Very rarely (but there is still a chance), a baby can have one of two diseases: an
abnormality in the development of the brain and craniosynostosis. These diseases are accompanied by a number of other symptoms. If the fontanel in the child closed early, but the circumference of his head is normal, this means that the child is healthy.
What is the reason for the late closure of the fontanel?
Late closure of the frontal fontanel is associated with a low calcium content in the baby's body . Calcium deficiency limits vitamin D3 intake. And this leads to a change in bone tissue.
Why is it dangerous?
By itself, the late closure of the fontanel does not indicate danger. It is important to study the accompanying symptoms, as this can be a dangerous signal.
The most common cause of late closure is rickets. It can also be a signal of Down syndrome, achondrodysplasia and other serious diseases. Even if the fontanel is not closed for a long time in infants, there is no concern, you should consult a specialist.
What else can the fontanel “tell”?
There are several more “signals” that cannot be ignored:
the fontanel in infants sinks - there is not enough fluid in the body;
for a long time it is “convex” - increased intracranial pressure ;
oversized - violation of ossification or prematurity.