Do you know what consequences does premature closure of the fontanelle have?

Because the skull of every newborn is not fully developed, there are two parts on the head that are not covered by bones. These are the anterior fontanelle and the posterior fontanelle. The closure time of the fontanelle has a key impact on the healthy growth of the child. If it closes at 6 months after birth, it is too early, but if it has not closed at 18 months, it is too late. Generally, premature closure will affect intellectual development, but it can be treated and alleviated as long as medical treatment is sought in time.

1. What is fontanelle ?

There are two bone defect areas at the junction of the baby's skull, which are medically called fontanelles. The larger one is located on the top of the head, called the anterior fontanelle; the smaller one is located behind the brain, called the posterior fontanelle.

The anterior fontanelle is small at birth, about 1.5cm×1.5cm. It then increases as the skull grows. After 6 months of age, it gradually becomes smaller as it ossifies, and is mostly completely closed when the baby is 1 to 1.5 years old. The posterior fontanelle is smaller, forming a triangular gap between the edge of the parietal bone and the occipital bone. It is very small or closed at birth and is completely closed within 6-8 weeks after birth at the latest.

The fontanelle usually refers to the anterior fontanelle. Place your finger lightly on the fontanelle and you can feel it beating. This is the fluctuation of the baby's cerebrospinal fluid pressure as the heart beats and blood pressure changes, which is consistent with the pulse. In a normal baby, the anterior fontanelle is slightly sunken when the baby is sitting.

Although the fontanelle feels soft, many parents dare not touch this part. In fact, the tissue structure of the fontanelle is very strong. Parents should not be afraid to touch the fontanelle, and they can also clean the hair and scalp in the fontanelle area.

2. Will premature closure of the anterior fontanelle affect brain development ?

In most cases, your baby's fontanelle will close by around 18 months. Some babies have their cervix closed at 6-7 months old. Will this affect the baby's intellectual development? If the head circumference is too small at the same time, it may be developmental abnormalities, which will affect development in the future. This requires parents to take their babies to the hospital for physical examinations regularly, measure head circumference, and conduct intelligence assessments to monitor the progress of intellectual development. Although some babies' fontanelles close early, their head circumference will continue to grow as their brain develops, and their intellectual development will be normal, so family members do not need to be too nervous.