What is a normal fontanel?

On the first day of an infant’s life, the normal fontanel ranges from 0.6 cm to 3.6 cm, with a mean of 2.1 cm.17 Black infants have larger fontanels (1.4 cm to 4.7 cm).16 The fontanels of full-term and preterm infants are similar in size once preterm infants reach term.

How do you know if your fontanelle is normal?

The fontanelles should feel firm and very slightly curved inward to the touch. A tense or bulging fontanelle occurs when fluid builds up in the brain or the brain swells, causing increased pressure inside the skull. When the infant is crying, lying down, or vomiting, the fontanelles may look like they are bulging.

What does normal Fontanelle look like?

Your baby’s fontanelles should look flat against their head. They should not look swollen and bulging or sunken down into your child’s skull. When you gently run your fingers over the top of your child’s head, the soft spot should feel soft and flat with a slight downward curve.

Do fontanelles get larger after birth?

At birth, babies’ soft spots come in a very wide range of sizes. If the soft spot is small, it will usually enlarge over the first several months. Conversely, large ones tend to get smaller.

What does a bulging fontanel mean?

A tense or bulging fontanelle occurs when fluid builds up in the brain or the brain swells, causing increased pressure inside the skull. When the infant is crying, lying down, or vomiting, the fontanelles may look like they are bulging.

When should I worry about my fontanelle?

Remember, there’s no need to be overly concerned about your baby’s fontanelle — or even to be overly protective of it — but if you notice that baby’s soft spot appears very sunken, it’s important that you contact your pediatrician right away.

Is a bulging fontanelle normal?

A healthy fontanelle should be firm to the touch and curve slightly inward. Sometimes, if an infant is crying, lying down, or vomiting, it may appear to bulge slightly, but should return to normal when they are in a calm, upright position. If it quickly returns to normal, it is not a true bulging fontanelle.

What is the function of a Fontanel?

Fontanel, also spelled fontanelle, soft spot in the skull of an infant, covered with tough, fibrous membrane. There are six such spots at the junctions of the cranial bones; they allow for molding of the fetal head during passage through the birth canal.

What are the two functions of Fontanelles?

Functionally, the fontanels serve as spacers for the growth of neighboring skull bones and provide some flexibility to the fetal skull, allowing the skull to change shape as it passes through the birth canal and later permitting rapid growth of the brain during infancy.

How big is the fontanel when it is closed?

It was closed in all cases in 15-18 months of age. The mean posterior fontanel size was 0.8 cm in newborns and closed in all infants in 2 months of age. There was no significant difference in anterior fontanel size between two genders except in newborn and 6-9 months old (P>0.05).

How big should fontanel be at 2 months old?

The mean posterior fontanel size was 0.8 cm in newborns and closed in all infants in 2 months of age. There was no significant difference in anterior fontanel size between two genders except in newborn and 6-9 months old (P>0.05). Conclusion Abnormal fontanel can indicate a serious medical condition.

When does the anterior fontanel of an infant close?

The fontanel can enlarge in the first few months of life, 18 and the median age of closure is 13.8 months. By three months of age, the anterior fontanel is closed in 1 percent of infants; by 12 months, it is closed in 38 percent; and by 24 months, it is closed in 96 percent.

What does the upright position of the fontanel indicate?

In select cases, such as newborns with multiple hemangiomas or heart failure, the anterior fontanel is auscultated to detect a bruit, which can indicate an arteriovenous malformation. 10 Palpation of the fontanel in the upright position may reveal a normal, slight pulsation.