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What to do if the baby has a bulging forehead. Dolichocephalic head shape: norm and pathology. The child has a bulging forehead

In our body, every organ is very important. It is very difficult to live without arms, without legs, without a heart it is impossible at all. And who is in charge of our entire body? Of course, the head. Do you know the saying: "Bread is the head of everything"? From this saying it is clear that the head is the most important thing.

The brain is located in the head, which is responsible for the work of our entire body. If there are any changes in the brain, this immediately affects the activity of the whole organism. Regulation of the body occurs with the help of nerve impulses (nerve endings of the brain) and with the help of special chemicals (pituitary gland) - humoral regulation.

Many animals, within a few hours after birth, are able to move independently and even look for food for themselves. Our children remain completely helpless for many months. Why is this happening? Everything is very simple: man is a highly organized, social animal. This means that the human body in the process of life learns to perform a large amount of various activities: talking, getting food, walking and much more. It is impossible to get all this knowledge at once, so a person learns from the example of other people how to survive in this world (social factor). In addition to the social skills acquired by a child in the process of life, there is also innate memory, the experience of previous generations. Such memory protects us from death (the instinct of self-preservation). We are instinctively afraid of fire, snakes and bright red insects, although no one has ever bitten us before. In addition to the instinct of self-preservation, the child inherits from the ancestors and other reflexes and instincts. So, newborn babies have a search reflex, they instinctively seek food. If a newborn baby is put on the mother's belly, he will independently crawl to the breast and begin to suck milk.

Why shouldn't we be born, already being able to walk and speak? It's simple: for this, the child must be in the womb for too long. If the baby develops too long in the mother's uterus, its bones will harden and the bones of the skull will lose their mobility. In this case, the child's skull loses its ability to change its volume, which makes it difficult for the head to pass through the woman's pelvis, the bones of which are tightly spliced ​​and do not move.

After birth, the child begins to develop intensively. At the same time, doctors distinguish physical and mental development.

Baby size and head circumference

Norm

Physical development is understood as the intensity of the increase in height, weight of the child, head and chest circumference. The assessment of these indicators is carried out in a complex. The circumference of the head at the birth of a child ranges from 29 to 34 cm. The dimensions of the head with various congenital pathologies can vary both in the smaller and in the larger direction. In conditions such as microcephaly (small head), chronic intrauterine fetal hypoxia (decreased oxygen supply through the placenta during pregnancy), chronic nicotine intoxication (conditions when the mother smoked too much during pregnancy), a decrease in head size is observed.

The extreme degree of such conditions is anencepholy (absence of the head). It can be observed in the fetus with hereditary pathologies, viral infections (rubella, chickenpox) during pregnancy. To identify such conditions, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound examination of the fetus in the early stages of its development.

With endocrine disorders on the part of the mother (diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism), changes in the size of the head are observed in the direction of increase. An increase in the size of the head makes it difficult to give birth through a natural route, as the baby's head cannot pass through the woman's pelvis. In such cases, a caesarean section is performed.

In the first year of life, the size of the head increases quite intensively. In no other period of a child's life has there been such a rapid change in growth, weight, head and chest volumes. In the first six months, the size of the head increases by an average of 1.5 cm, after six months - by 0.5 cm per month. The rate of change in head size can vary from month to month for different children. These can be both physiological and pathological changes.

With physiological changes in the intensity of head growth, the volume of the head remains within centile values. Centile tables are the average value of indicators of the physical development of children in different periods of life. These tables reflect the compliance of the child's head volumes with age norms: centile tables for boys, centile tables for girls.

When examining a child in a polyclinic, the pediatrician assesses not only how much the child's head size has increased, but also whether these sizes correspond to the age norm. If a child is born with a large head volume, then in the process of development, he may experience a less intense increase in head size. If the child has small head sizes, then the increase in head volume in such children will be more intense. Normally, by the year all children are leveled, and the size of the head is about 44 cm.

But nothing can be said only by the size of the head, the ratio of the size of the head and chest is important. With pathological changes in the intensity of the growth of the head circumference, both a pathological acceleration of an increase in the volume of the head in comparison with the volume of the chest, and a pathological deceleration can be observed.

Big head in a child

An increase in the intensity of the growth of the head circumference is very often observed in such a condition as hydrocephalus... This condition can develop in premature babies, babies born in asphyxia, babies with intrauterine hypoxia. In this case, the brain is damaged, and fluid begins to accumulate in the cranium. The accumulation of fluid leads to an increase in the volume of the intracranial box and, as a result, an increase in the size of the child's head. The child's fontanelles are poorly overgrown, they can swell, pulsate, especially when the child screams. Since edema is localized in the brain, in a child the cerebral part of the skull prevails over the facial one. Another sign of hydrocephalus in a child is an increase in head volume in relation to breast volume. Normally, the intensity of the increase in breast volume exceeds the intensity of the increase in the volume of the head. With hydrocephalus, the volume of the head can be equal to or greater than the volume of the chest. To clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound examination of the brain, which reveals the accumulation of fluid in the brain, an increase in the brain chambers. Children with this condition should be monitored by a neurologist. They are prescribed diuretic drugs (furasemide) and drugs to improve the nutrition of the brain (piracetam, nootropil). General massage is recommended for children. After the treatment, children develop in the same way as their peers, no long-term consequences are observed. In the absence of treatment, children lag behind their peers in mental development, they start talking, sitting, walking late.

A small head in a child

A decrease in the intensity of head growth is most often observed when genetic diseases... In addition to head growth retardation, such children may experience other congenital malformations: cleft upper lip, hard palate, soft palate, fused fingers or toes, six-fingered hands or feet, and others. In such conditions, a consultation with a geneticist is required. Treatment is carried out in accordance with the identified congenital anomalies. The prognosis is not always favorable and depends on the degree of brain damage.

Assessment of brain maturity

In addition to physical development at the reception, the doctor also evaluates the mental development of the child. The mental development of a child characterizes the maturity of the child's brain and the child's adaptation to life in the environment. Certain signs should appear or disappear in a child by specific dates. If the symptom did not appear or disappeared, then this indicates the immaturity of the brain.

So the child should smile by a month, by two - keep his head well in the prone position, and by six months the child's innate reflexes (automatic walking, oral automatism, and others) should completely disappear.

If the child lags behind in mental development, it is necessary to exclude brain diseases. This requires a consultation with a neurologist and an ultrasound examination of the brain. For the treatment of children with mental retardation, it is necessary to treat the condition that caused the brain damage. It is very important to use drugs that improve the nutrition of the brain (piracetam, nootropil). In severe cases, when it is difficult to make a diagnosis, it is also necessary to consult a geneticist, since this condition very often accompanies hereditary diseases.

Head shape in children

In addition to changes in the size of the head, changes in its shape can be observed. Very often, with rickets, a flattening of the head or one-sided deformation of it occurs (on the side where the child lies most of all). In this condition, calcium is washed out from the bones, they soften and are easier to deform. In this case, it is necessary to use vitamin D3 in a therapeutic dose (1500-3000 IU). To prevent rickets, a child must be given vitamin D3 daily in a prophylactic dose (500 IU) for up to two years, excluding the summer months (June, July and August).

Baby's head sweats

Very often with endocrine diseases, especially with damage to the thyroid gland, children may experience excessive sweating of the head. In this case, you need to consult an endocrinologist, take a blood test for thyroid hormones. Sweating can also occur with the deficiency of vitamin D described above.

Scabs on the head of a child

At birth, various substances remain on the baby's skin that helped the baby develop inside the uterus. This can cause a crust to form on the scalp. This crust can be either in the form of separate small formations, or completely cover the entire head. This condition is not a pathology and does not require special treatment. The only thing a child needs is hygienic scalp care. All crusts must be lubricated with vaseline oil, which softens them, and then carefully remove with a cotton swab. This operation must be performed daily for 5-7 days.

Pediatrician Litashov M.V.

Each person is special, therefore, the norms of body structure for an adult are conditional. In childhood, the body is arranged differently, therefore, parents are worried about some of the characteristics of the child. The bulging forehead of a child is a common reason for parents to see a doctor. Let's try to understand the causes of a bulging forehead and find out if this is a norm or a pathology.

What can be the reasons for a bulging forehead

At the birth of a child, the size of the head is one of the determining factors of childbirth, since the head first passes through the birth canal. How the birth will proceed depends on its volume. The head of a child in relation to the proportion of the body is larger than that of an adult, which can sometimes be alarming for his parents. Therefore, we will consider the most common causes of a bulging forehead in a newborn.

Causes of a bulging forehead in a child:

  • physiological feature;
  • signs of rickets;

Anatomical feature

Each person differs from each other in some ways. The size of the head and facial skull play a major role. If the child has a visually enlarged forehead, head or other part of the skull, then the child should be shown to the doctor. Visual examination, measuring the size of the head, conducting ultrasound diagnostics will answer the question of whether this case is the norm. If during the study the pathology is not detected, then you should not pay attention to this feature. With age, the bones of the skull will change, and everything will return to normal.

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 the age of three, is associated with a lack of vitamin D. Rickets occurs in all countries of the world, but most of all in the 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 main task of vitamin D is to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and deposit these trace elements in the bone tissue.

In the first months of vitamin D deficiency, the symptoms of rickets are not specific and can go past the attention of parents. The baby has:

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

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

  • muscle hypotension;
  • late teething;
  • bone deformities;
  • late fontanelle closure.

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 for.

Bone deformities:

  • wheel-shaped or X-shaped changes in the lower limbs;
  • changes in the pelvic bones; in girls with age, this will affect the course of childbirth;
  • ribs thicken - rickety "rosary";
  • bulging forehead: parietal and frontal tubercles grow;
  • the head resembles a square and becomes disproportionately large;
  • the wrist joints - "bracelets" are thickened.

These symptoms appear during the height of the disease and are associated with excessive osteogenesis. In adulthood, bone deformities remain and are manifested in the form of postural disturbances, deformities of the lower extremities, and narrowing of the pelvis.

Hydrocephalus

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

  • intrauterine infection;
  • congenital malformations of the brain;
  • infectious diseases (, encephalitis);
  • neoplasms of the brain.

Hydrocephalus has the following symptoms:

  • decreased muscle tone;
  • the appearance of pathological reflexes;
  • convulsive syndrome;
  • squint or setting sun syndrome;
  • lethargy or, conversely, anxiety of the child.

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

Due to the increased production of cerebrospinal fluid, the ventricles of the brain expand. The fluid enters the perventricular space, causing damage to the brain tissue. As a result, there is a thinning of the bones of the skull, an expansion of the gap between the bones. The fontanelle swells and pulsates, the scalp stretches, the veins of the head swell. The photo shows the child's bulging forehead as a result of rickets (hydrocephalus).

Bulging eyes: reasons

Bulging 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:

  • pulse acceleration over 90 beats per minute (sometimes over 120);
  • losing weight;
  • hand tremor;
  • , anxiety, headaches, changes in blood pressure;
  • menstrual irregularities in women and spermatogenesis in men;
  • enlargement of the eyes due to subcutaneous tissue.

Changes in the eyes with thyrotoxicosis: become wide open, edematous, due to this bulging. Vision weakens over time due to swelling of the optic nerve. The disease requires consultation and treatment with an endocrinologist.

Read why it arises, how it manifests itself and what are the predictions for the baby and his parents?

Do you know which are dangerous and which are non-problematic?

Find out why it appears: causes, manifestations, connections with other pathologies.

Should I worry about changing the facial skull?

You have covered the main causes of facial changes in children: an increase in the forehead and eyes. This can be either an individual feature or a disease. And only a doctor, when examining 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 a visit to a doctor.

A small dimple on the crown of the child's head - the fontanel - performs an important task during the birth of the baby. And even after birth, she is given a serious role, and at the same time - special attention of mothers and doctors.

Newborn head shape and size

The shape of the head in newborn babies can be not only round, but also elongated, flattened, ovoid - and all these options are considered the norm. Why is this happening?

By the time of birth, the bones of the skull in babies are not yet too dense (they will have to harden completely during the first year of life), and the seams between them have not yet had time to overgrow. During labor, the bones overlap, allowing the baby to move outward more easily. That is why, after natural childbirth, the shape of the head is, as a rule, slightly elongated, and in small "Caesareans" it is even and rounded. Due to the twists and turns of travel through the birth canal, the baby may be born with an asymmetrical head, and sometimes also with a lump (cephalohematoma) or edema (the so-called birth canal).

At birth, the baby's head in circumference is about 2 cm larger than the chest. But it happens that these dimensions increase even more: this happens if cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the cranial cavity. Then the upper part becomes larger than the lower one, a heavy forehead hangs over the eyes and nose, and doctors talk about hydrocephalus. This problem can arise if during pregnancy a woman has suffered a severe infection that affected the unborn baby. In this case, doctors will immediately start treating the child, and after a few months, his head may approach normal size.

A more serious situation is considered when a newborn, on the contrary, has a too small head (microcephaly). Sometimes this is due to genetic disorders that prevent the baby from developing normally. Fortunately, in many cases the reason for the unusual shape or size of the head turns out to be much simpler: the child can inherit all these features from the parents.

Only a doctor will correctly assess the baby's head circumference, so it makes no sense for parents to arm themselves with a centimeter. But for specialists, this indicator will tell you whether the child's brain is developing correctly.

Normally, in newborns, the head circumference is 34-36 cm. At first, the head grows rather quickly, by about 1.5 cm per month; after 3 months - by 0.5-1 cm and by 6 months it reaches 43 cm in girth. If the baby is significantly ahead of or behind the norm, this may indicate problems.

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Many mothers know that the health and development of a baby is largely determined by the state of his head. Some of the parents are worried about postpartum spots, someone has heard about the danger of birth trauma. So what can parents pay attention to when a baby is born? And when do you need to see a doctor to provide him with the help he needs?

Many mothers know that health and development is largely determined by the condition of his head. Some of the parents are worried about postpartum spots, some have heard about the danger of birth trauma. So what can parents pay attention to when a baby is born? And when do you need to see a doctor to provide him with the help he needs?

Compression and decompression

Mothers who are preparing for childbirth on their own or in courses for pregnant women have probably seen illustrations of the birth canal and imagine what a difficult path a child has to go through before being born. Nature has foreseen everything: the skull of a baby is not at all the same as that of an adult. It has fontanelles, the bones of the skull are mobile due to the fact that all of their joints are quite elastic, and thanks to this, during childbirth, the baby's head is easily configured, adjusting to the birth canal. Compression occurs - compression. Of course, in this case, displacements of the skull bones are possible, but, fortunately, nature has provided for the opposite mechanism - decompression, which turns on immediately after birth.

When the baby is born, he takes the first breath and screams loudly. At this moment, not only his lungs are straightened (which everyone knows about), but also the membranes of the skull. Most of the forced deformations disappear immediately. The second force that helps the baby to cope with generic head deformities is. The sucking movements that the baby makes when picking up the breast requires motor activity of the wedge-shaped occipital joint, which works as a kind of lever that also helps the head to straighten out. As a rule, these natural mechanisms are enough to keep the baby's head in order.

Unfortunately, sometimes problems do arise. If the baby was weakened during pregnancy, he may have weaker than normal. After birth, he cannot breathe deeply and utter a strong cry and, in particular, cannot straighten his head on his own. Sometimes, for some reason, the baby does not receive breastfeeding, and when feeding from a bottle, the mechanics of movements are completely different - it does not activate the expansion of the skull bones, so some problems may remain uncorrected.

On the one hand, in babies born by the method, the head is not subjected to compression (and this, it would seem, is a plus). On the other hand, there is no compression - there is also no powerful impulse, as a result of which respiration is activated and the so-called cranio-sacral mechanism is triggered in the correct way - the internal rhythm of the body necessary to activate its resources. As a result, the "caesareans" also need help in order to cope with head problems that could arise in utero or during labor, if the caesarean was unplanned and the baby's head experienced partial compression.

Head and symptoms

The spots that you can notice on the head of the crumbs look like birthmarks, but they gradually disappear. They say that strong pressure was exerted on the baby's head in this place. Most likely, the baby will cope with the problem on his own, however, the coincidence of a speck in a certain part of the head and some clinical symptoms may indicate that it is worth contacting, since the baby needs help.

Neck injury usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • violation of sucking. Despite the fact that the baby is correctly applied to the breast, he cannot breastfeed normally or it is uncomfortable for him to suck;
  • abundant and frequent;
  • with gross lesions, problems with speech and vision, torticollis and descending scoliosis may occur in the future.

Damage in the area sphenoid bone can cause:

  • intracranial pressure;
  • motor impairment of speech (it is difficult for a child to control the articulation apparatus).

Damage temporal bone can cause:

  • hearing impairment;
  • problems with coordination of movements.

Damage frontal bone lead to:

  • lethargy and physical weakness;

Of course, you can and should consult a doctor with all these problems. Even if you do this when the baby has already grown up and the spots have resolved, keep in mind such facts as postpartum spots, dilated veins in any part of the head, especially the course of labor. An experienced doctor will always correlate the well-being and behavior of the baby with how the birth took place, what are the results of a visual examination of his head. Quite often, parents attribute to their parental incompetence or the difficult nature of the crumbs those troubles that actually speak of displacements of the skull bones. But this can be easily corrected in the first months after childbirth.

What else should you pay attention to?

Not all problems are visible to the parent's eye, but here are the points that you can note yourself.

Sometimes on the baby's head, parents notice cyanosis or hematoma, and sometimes a cystic tumor (which can dissolve or calcify and turn into a lump). Usually, with such phenomena, the baby's jaundice lasts longer - this is a kind of symptom of the body's defensive reaction, which seeks to "absorb" this neoplasm.

You can visually notice problems with the lower jaw, if the baby cannot suck, - with this you need to urgently consult a doctor, however, usually such pathologies are immediately noticed in the maternity hospital.

If the crumbs in the eye or in both worth a tear- this suggests that the bones of the skull have been displaced and the nasolacrimal canal is narrowed. It is best to consult an osteopathic doctor while the child is still young, because otherwise the baby will have problems with nasal breathing, adenoids, otitis media.

Parents are often worried about the question fontanelles... In some children, only a large fontanel is found, in others, both small and large, and in some children, the lateral fontanelles may also be open. This in itself is not scary. Do not worry if the fontanel of the baby bulges out when screaming - you should only be afraid if it is convex and at rest. In this case, the doctor may suspect an infection or. As long as the fontanelles are open, it can be done according to the indications - this study can provide important information.

It is also worth paying attention to your personal feeling of the baby's head. Normally, it should seem light, puppet. If a newborn baby can "lie down" your hand - this is a signal of trouble. Here the doctor should understand: the baby may have problems with fluid outflow and intracranial pressure.

Normally, children should have a symmetrical face and facial expressions. If it is obvious that one half of the face is less mobile than the other, you need to consult a specialist.

Big? Small?

Some parents are worried about crumbs. Normally, her girth at birth is 34-36 cm. Deviations from the norm do not always speak of pathology, quite often a genetic factor is triggered: one of the parents had a large or small head.

During the first month, the head circumference increases by an average of 1.5-2 cm. At 3-4 months, the head and chest circumferences are compared, then the rate of breast augmentation outstrips the growth of the head. For a rough estimate, there is an empirical calculation formula: at 6 months, the head circumference (GO) averages 43 cm, for each month up to 6, 1.5 cm is subtracted, for each over - 0.5 cm is added.For the first year, the OG increases on average by 10-12 cm. The head grows most intensively in a full-term baby in the first 3 months, in a premature baby later, during a period of pronounced weight gain.

At birth, the head may be smaller - in premature babies or if the baby has experienced severe compression during childbirth. Also, a small head happens with microcephaly, which mothers are so afraid of. However, it must be remembered that with true congenital microcephaly, the size of the skull is already small in utero, at the birth of the child the sutures are narrowed, the fontanelles are closed or small in size with dense edges, the head has a specific shape - the cerebral skull is smaller than the facial one, the forehead is small, sloping, the line of the forehead and nose is oblique, as a rule, there are multiple minor developmental anomalies and severe neurological pathology. If your baby does not have these anomalies, there is no need to think about microcephaly.

Mothers are afraid of hydrocephalus, however, this anomaly is accompanied by severe symptoms. The progressive excessive increase in the size of the skull is accompanied by divergence of the sutures, an increase in the size of fontanelles, their bulging even at rest, expressed by the venous network on the head. In this case, the cerebral skull significantly predominates over the facial one, the frontal part protrudes sharply. The child develops poorly, has pronounced neurological symptoms. In other words, hydrocephalus cannot be overlooked either.

Head sizes larger or smaller than average are most often a constitutional feature, i.e. the child repeats one of the parents, grandparents, etc. Of course, the general development of the baby is of primary importance. If it is generally normal, there is no need to be afraid of terrible diagnoses.

Precautions

On the one hand, nature has made babies hardy. And on the other hand, just the head and the cervicothoracic region of the crumbs are rather fragile. This is what parents need to remember so as not to harm the child.

It is necessary so that his head does not "dangle". Always support it under your head, do not lift it by the arms or shoulders. The fact is that not far from the occipital bone, the crumbs have a vagus nerve that regulates many functions of the body. If the crumbs have a displacement in this area and the nerve is pinched, then this will manifest itself in a variety of symptoms: from problems with stool to problems with motor development. For the same reason, in the first two to three weeks, it is better for amateurs not to do "eights" and other exercises with the baby that can cause displacement in the cervicothoracic region.

The baby can be carried where his head is securely held, and for transportation in the car you need to use a special one. But a kangaroo backpack, the back of which does not fix the head and neck, cannot be used until the baby holds his head completely confidently, like an adult.

Remember that nature has provided all possible ways to protect the brain from possible injuries, and also laid in the crumb a huge resource for the body's self-healing. Breastfeeding, positive emotions - all this greatly helps the baby to overcome the stress of the birth.

Nikitina Anna Consultants:
Olga Tkach, head of the pediatric department of the Center for Traditional Obstetrics,
Tatiana Vasilieva, osteopathic doctor

Increased intracranial pressure is a complex disease that is difficult to treat and leads to many unpleasant consequences. This disease is especially dangerous and difficult to diagnose in infants, because they cannot complain of discomfort.

What is ICP in a child

Intracranial pressure is caused by an excess (hypertension) or a lack (hypotension) of the cerebrospinal fluid, which protects the brain tissue from damage. It's called liquor. Often a similar problem arises due to prolonged oxygen starvation of brain cells. Intracranial pressure in a newborn that is slightly increased is normal. After some time, as a rule, it returns to normal without intervention.

Congenital intracranial pressure

There are two types of ICP: congenital and acquired. Congenital intracranial pressure in infants, which is more difficult to treat, is a consequence of birth trauma, complications during pregnancy. There is no way to say in advance whether there is a risk of having this disease in a baby. During examinations, there may be no prerequisites for ICP, but according to general statistics, every fifth child has such a pathology. Acquired intracranial pressure in an infant occurs as a consequence of encephalitis, meningitis, or trauma.

Signs of ICP in infants

Every mother dreams of a healthy child, so it is important to be able to prevent the onset of the disease, to notice its signs in a timely manner, because the difficulty in the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid can cause a lot of inconvenience to the newborn and cause pain. Many newly-made parents rejoice at the activity of their child, are touched when the baby bends or shakes his head, and do not think that these may be the first alarm bells.

Symptoms of intracranial pressure in infants:

  • frequent awakenings at night;
  • hyperactivity, increased excitability;
  • premature breast refusal;
  • profuse regurgitation, vomiting;
  • involuntary movements of the eyeball;
  • tremor;
  • frequent unreasonable crying;
  • head rotation;
  • a strong reaction to a change in weather;
  • lethargy;
  • lag in physical, psycho-emotional development;
  • tilting the head back.

Veins on the head of a baby

Young mothers are often frightened, they complain to the doctor that veins are visible on the baby's head. There is nothing wrong with this phenomenon, because the skin of a newborn is thinner than that of any adult, and the layer of subcutaneous fat is not yet sufficiently developed. Over time, the venous network will become less visible. In some cases, the veins swell and swell, which may be a sign of poor cerebrospinal fluid outflow: you need to see a neurologist as soon as possible so that he or she can order a study and the necessary tests.

Large forehead in a child

Sometimes the first sign of ICP is a high, convex forehead in a baby, with some overhanging of the skull at the back of the head. It is often confused with dropsy. If you notice a similar deviation, look at the photos of children with this diagnosis and pay attention to the violation of the pediatrician at the examination. This may be a sign of other medical conditions, such as hydrocephalus or rickets. In any case, do not panic, but ask for an additional examination of the baby to make sure there is no danger.

Divergence of the seams of the skull in infants

The peculiarity of the skull of a newborn is the mobility of the bone plates. This is necessary to make it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal. Sometimes there may be a discrepancy of the cranial sutures in babies, which after a few months returns to normal, and the fontanelle overgrows. If this does not happen, be sure to consult with the supervising pediatrician of the child. He must conduct a study of the structure of the head, evaluate the size of the gaps between the plates and prescribe the necessary preventive measures or treatment.

Reasons

Intracranial pressure in children under one year old can cause many difficulties and health problems at an older age. The success of treatment depends, first of all, on the timeliness of the assistance provided. In order to detect ICP in a child, it is important to carefully observe his behavior, especially in the first 2-3 weeks of life. Sometimes it is very difficult to notice the first signs of the disease.

Causes of intracranial pressure in newborns:

  • hypoxia (oxygen starvation caused by a cord entanglement or other problems);
  • severe toxicosis throughout pregnancy;
  • placental abruption or rapid maturation;
  • difficult childbirth, birth trauma;
  • careless taking of medications during pregnancy;
  • heredity;
  • brain tumors;
  • hemorrhage into the cranial cavity;
  • serious birth injuries.

How does intracranial pressure manifest in infants

Increased intracranial pressure in a child is manifested by severe anxiety, mood swings and hyperactivity. If your baby often cries for no reason, think about it: this may be one of the symptoms of ICP associated with headache due to increased pressure. In addition, the baby may refuse to breast, regurgitate often and profusely, twirl his head and roll his eyes.

Sometimes the pressure rises temporarily, then normalizes, so the malaise is difficult to notice. In this case, the main symptom is crying for no apparent reason and restless behavior, which are often attributed to colic and other problems of infancy. Remember that normally babies under 2 months old should spend most of their time asleep, crying only if they are uncomfortable with a wet diaper or hunger. If your child wakes up more than 3 times a night, constantly cries and bends over, this is a serious reason to visit a pediatrician.

How to determine intracranial pressure in an infant

Correct diagnosis of intracranial pressure in children begins with a visual examination and measurement of indicators such as head volume and fontanel size: in a one-year-old child, it should completely grow together. Another important point in the examination is checking the muscle tone and baby's reaction. In 99% of cases, these methods help to notice the deviation of indicators in time and recognize the violation. For an additional safety measure, almost every child is assigned an ultrasound of the brain tissue through the fontanelle, and in some cases an encephalogram or tomography.

How to treat intracranial pressure in an infant

Remember: treatment of intracranial pressure in children is prescribed by a neurologist only after a special ultrasound or tomography, symptoms alone are not enough to take medications. Only after making sure that the diagnosis is correct, babies are prescribed Actovegin injections, and older children are given Glycine in tablets. They improve the absorption of glucose by brain cells, as well as normalize metabolism and have a positive effect on sleep.

Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) is often the cause of ICP. In this case, special water procedures and sedatives are prescribed as treatment. It helps to improve blood circulation and oxygenation of the brain. As a rule, the pressure decreases after undergoing such treatment. Otherwise, stronger medications are prescribed.

The specialist must register the child and appoint a repeated visit date for a second examination. Often, he is appointed after the passage of an ophthalmologist, who must conduct a study of the fundus, and a course of baby massage, which is necessary for the general improvement of the baby's condition. After all the procedures described, a repeated measurement of the head circumference, ultrasound and visual examination is carried out. If, as a result of the examination, the doctor removes the diagnosis, for some time your child will be registered with a mandatory examination every six months.

In rare cases, the increase in volume and accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the tissues of the brain can be serious and requires surgery. The operation is performed under general anesthesia, and some excess CSF is removed to normalize blood pressure. Postoperative rehabilitation means taking auxiliary medications and constant monitoring by a doctor.

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Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can diagnose and give recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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