What is the baby's fontanelle and how to protect it

I believe that many parents are not only happy and excited but also curious right after the baby is born. You may mention the issue of fontanelle to your parents throughout your life, but what exactly is fontanelle? Does it have any impact on you whether it is well protected or not? Today, I will introduce to you what fontanelle is and how to best protect it. Let’s take a look.

What is:

There is a soft area on the top of a baby's head that can sometimes be seen to pulsate, which is medically called the fontanelle. There are two main fontanelles at birth: one is called the static fontanelle, which is located in the front part of the head and is formed by the connection of the anterior superior angles of the parietal bones and the frontal bones on both sides. The oblique diameter at birth is 2.5 cm and it is generally closed at 1 to 1.5 years old; the other is called the posterior fontanelle, which is formed by the junction of the parietal bone and the occipital bone. It is located in the back of the head and is generally very small or closed at birth. It closes at the latest at 2 to 4 months.

How to protect:

The fontanelle is the gap left when the skull is not fully developed when the fetus is born. The posterior fontanelle usually closes within three months after birth, and the anterior fontanelle closes at approximately 1 to 1.5 years after birth. Since the fontanelle is not covered by a hard skull, it should be protected to prevent brain damage.

1. When washing your baby's hair. The fontanelle can be washed, but be gentle and do not scratch it with your fingers.

2. The water for washing your hair should not be too hot, use warm water. Some babies have some yellow-brown greasy scales on their scalp. This is infant seborrheic dermatitis. You can use sterilized cotton to dip some paraffin oil or refined and cooled vegetable oil and apply it on the scales. After it softens, gently wipe it off with sterilized cotton. Never peel it off forcibly.

3. This disease can heal itself and there is no need to apply any medicine as long as there is no infection. When washing the baby's hair, because the baby's skin is delicate, it is better to use a neutral soap with less irritation.

All the above content is what the editor has prepared for you about what the fontanelle is and how to protect it. Are you very clear after reading it? In fact, babies are very fragile when they are just born and need everyone's maximum care and love. Parents can only give the best help to their babies if they know more about this professional term.