Normal value of anterior fontanelle in newborns

The anterior fontanelle of a newborn can reflect their health status to a certain extent. It will close automatically at a certain period of time. Closing too early or too late may be a reflection of the baby's physical illness. The anterior fontanelle has a normal size standard, which is approximately 2.5×2.5cm. Friends in need can properly understand this knowledge to pay more attention to the health status of newborns.

1. Standards for the size of the anterior fontanelle of newborns

There is a diamond-shaped gap on the top of the newborn's head, called the anterior fontanelle, which is 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm in size (the line connecting the midpoints of the two opposite sides) and feels pulsating to the touch. The anterior fontanelle closes between 12 and 18 months of age. Late closure of the anterior fontanelle can be seen in children with rickets, cretinism, and hydrocephalus; premature closure of the anterior fontanelle can be seen in children with microcephaly. A full and bulging anterior fontanelle indicates increased intracranial pressure, which is common in children with meningitis and hydrocephalus; a sunken anterior fontanelle is seen in children who are dehydrated, malnourished, and extremely thin.

2. The closure of the fontanelle reflects the health status of the newborn:

1. Delayed closure of fontanelle:

If the fontanelle of a newborn has not closed 18 months after birth, it means that the newborn has bone development and calcification disorders, and the newborn may suffer from rickets, cretinism, hydrocephalus and other diseases.

2. Fontanelle closes too early:

If the fontanelle of a newborn closes too early, it means that the newborn may have incomplete brain development and microcephaly. For newborns whose fontanelle closes too early, regular checks should be conducted to measure whether the newborn's head circumference is normal and whether the rate of head circumference growth is normal. If everything is normal, there is no need to worry too much.

3. The fontanelle is full or obviously bulging:

If this happens in a newborn, it indicates that the newborn's intracranial pressure is increased, which is more common in hydrocephalus, meningitis, encephalitis, subdural hematoma, and intracranial tumors.

4. The fontanelle is obviously sunken:

Common in severe dehydration, such as acute diarrhea.

This article introduces in detail the size standards of the anterior fontanelle of newborns, and also introduces how the closure of the anterior fontanelle of newborns reflects the baby's health status. As a parent, you must protect your baby's anterior fontanelle and observe it in time. Once a problem occurs, you need to take timely measures to deal with it.