Is it scary for a newborn to have red scalp?

Why do some newborns have red scalps, unlike other newborns? Is it because of some kind of blow in the womb or because of the unsuccessful delivery process? To find out why newborns have red scalps, let's take a look at whether it is scary for newborns to have red scalps.

1. Fetal head edema (birth tumor) The occurrence of neonatal birth tumor is due to the fact that the exposed part of the fetus during delivery (at most the head is exposed first), which usually spans the two skulls in the middle, is under strong pressure, causing edema of the scalp and subcutaneous tissue, thus producing a soft tumor, which is called birth tumor. No special treatment is required clinically and it will disappear on its own after 3-5 days.

2. The amount of bleeding in subgaleal hematoma is large and the range of hematoma is wide. For the treatment of subgaleal hematoma, early cold compress and pressure bandage can be used for smaller hematomas, and then hot compress can be used after 24-28 hours to wait for it to be absorbed on its own. If the hematoma is huge, it should be punctured and aspirated multiple times under strict skin preparation and disinfection, followed by pressure bandaging. Especially for infants and young children, puncture should be performed once every 1-2 days, and antibiotics should be given according to the situation, and blood volume deficiency should be supplemented if necessary.

3. Subperiosteal hematoma (cephalohematoma) Subperiosteal hematoma of the skull is generally accompanied by linear skull fractures, except for those caused by birth trauma or vacuum delivery of the fetal head. The source of bleeding is mostly interlaminar bleeding or periosteal stripping, and blood accumulates between the periosteum and the skull surface. Its clinical characteristics are: the hematoma stops at the bone suture. For the treatment of subperiosteal hematoma, cold compress is still the best method in the early stage. It is better to avoid using strong pressure bandage to prevent blood from flowing into the skull through bone sutures and causing epidural hematoma. Puncture should be performed under strict skin preparation and disinfection, and recovery can be achieved by aspirating the accumulated blood 1 to 2 times.

If blood accumulation occurs repeatedly, CT scan or other auxiliary examinations should be performed promptly. For smaller subperiosteal hematomas, you can also use the method of first applying cold compresses and then hot compresses to wait for them to absorb on their own; but for subperiosteal hematomas in infants and young children, calcium salts often accumulate over a long period of time, forming a bone shell that is difficult to dissipate. This type of hematoma should be punctured and aspirated promptly, and carefully applied with pressure bandage under close observation.

The redness of a newborn's scalp may be due to some external factors during pregnancy, or it may be caused by an unsmooth delivery. No matter what the factor is, as long as it has no effect on the baby's body and IQ, there is no need to worry.