How to judge whether the baby's fontanelle is cold

Many parents have questions about how to determine if the baby's fontanelle is cold. After the fetus is born, the skull is not completely closed, and the anterior and posterior fontanelles are not closed. This is beneficial to the growth and development of the brain. Because the baby's fontanelles are relatively thin, this area is easy to catch cold, and symptoms such as bulge or collapse will appear after catching cold. Let’s take a closer look at how to determine if your baby’s fontanelle is cold.

The human skull is composed of the temporal bone, parietal bone, frontal bone, ethmoid bone, sphenoid bone and occipital bone. There are many gaps between bones, which are mainly connected by connective tissue membranes. The fontanelle is the soft part of a baby's head that helps facilitate labor and brain development. When a child is born, these soft areas allow the skull bones to pass smoothly through the birth canal. After birth, a child's brain grows faster than the surrounding bones, and the fontanelles allow the head to stretch quickly to accommodate the rapid brain growth. Thereafter, the cranial sutures gradually ossify and the fontanelles close.

If the fontanelle gets cold, it is easy to catch a cold. Do not let the fontanelle be stimulated by cold wind. Once a child's fontanelle is exposed to cold wind, because the human body has five hearts, the so-called Taoist practice method we used to have is called "Five Hearts Facing the Sky", which means the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, these are four hearts, and the other is the heart on the top of the head, which is the five hearts facing the sky. The top of the head is very important. When the wind is cold and the fontanelle is half open and half closed, it is actually a layer of cartilage, which allows wind to easily enter. This is a very important key point of the human body.

The fontanelle is usually flat and soft to the touch, especially when the baby cries. Parents may worry that their baby's fontanelle may become more fragile. In fact, although the fontanelle may be popularly referred to as the "soft spot" on the head, there is a thick dura mater underneath the fontanelle that protects the brain, so the fontanelle can be gently stroked. When washing your baby's hair, you can wash the fontanelle, but be gentle and don't scratch it with your fingers.

Premature closure of the anterior and posterior fontanelles is not uncommon in normal children. However, early closure of the fontanelle also alerts us to whether the child has a pathological condition, such as the possibility of brain malformation and head deformity, which is related to the reduction of head circumference. If the fontanelle closes early, the head circumference usually increases, and the development of the brain is generally not affected, but the growth of head circumference should be taken seriously by parents. At 5-6 months, the anterior fontanelle is only the size of a fingertip. It appears to be closed, but it is not rigid. Because of the growth of fibrous tissue, it is sometimes difficult to tell if a true closed fontanelle is present or for your doctor to diagnose it.