How long does it take for the fontanelle on the baby's head to close?

When a baby is just born, there is something called fontanelle on its head. This is something every baby must go through. It is not a disease problem but a normal phenomenon. It needs to gradually disappear as the baby grows older. Every baby grows at a different rate, and some babies will wait until their bodies continue to develop before the fontanelle closes. So how long does it take for the fontanelle on the top of a baby's head to close?

The fontanelle, commonly known as the "zenith", is a boneless diamond-shaped space formed between the baby's two frontal bones and the parietal bones, with only meninges, scalp and subcutaneous tissue, namely the anterior fontanelle; the boneless small triangle formed between the baby's two parietal bones and the occipital bone is called the posterior fontanelle. The fontanelle that people often refer to is the anterior fontanelle. Simply put, the fontanelle is the place on the top of the baby's head that looks like it's jumping around. The baby's fontanelle will grow larger as the head circumference increases in the first few months after birth. After 6 months, it will gradually ossify and become smaller, and will close at 1 and a half years old.

When is it normal for the baby's fontanelle to close?

Because premature closure of the baby's fontanelle is related to poor brain development. So, when is it normal for the baby's fontanelle to close? The anterior fontanelle of most babies should close between 18 and 24 months after birth. Some babies may close a little later, but there is no need to worry as long as their height, weight, head circumference and nervous system development are normal. In addition to paying attention to the time when the baby's fontanelle closes, you will also understand the size of the tension of the baby's fontanelle. In medicine, the tension of the fontanelle is more important for diagnosing the baby's brain development than the time when the fontanelle closes.

How to care for your baby's fontanelle

1. Do not use pillows that are too hard, such as mung bean pillows or sand pillows, otherwise it will easily cause deformation of the baby's head and fontanelle. In addition, if you want your baby's head to have a perfect shape, you should turn him over frequently and change his sleeping position. Babies like light. If he is used to sleeping on one side, you can use light to attract him on the other side.

2. Protect your baby's head and pay attention to the furniture at home to avoid sharp corners that may hurt your baby's head. If your baby accidentally scratches his scalp, he should immediately disinfect it with an alcohol cotton ball to prevent infection.

3. When going out in the summer, make sure your baby wears a sun hat to prevent heat from penetrating through the fontanelle and causing heatstroke; when going out in the winter, you should wear a thicker hat to protect the fontanelle while reducing heat loss.

4. The fontanelle can be cleaned during bathing. Baby-specific shampoo can be used instead of strong alkaline soap to avoid irritating the scalp and inducing or aggravating eczema. When cleaning, your fingers should be placed flat on the fontanelle and rubbed gently. Do not press or scratch too hard, and do not scratch the fontanelle with hard objects. If the "cradle crust" at the fontanelle is not easy to wash off, you can first steam it with sesame oil or refined oil and then soak it in it for 2-3 hours. After the dirt becomes soft, use a sterile cotton ball to wipe it off in the direction of hair growth. After washing, sprinkle it with baby powder.