Babies born with larger craniums are actually likely to be smarter, according to findings reported in the Independent. Meaning, babies born with a head circumference larger than the average of 13.5–14 inches were likely to exhibit greater intelligence later in their lives.
Keeping this in consideration, why is my baby’s head so big?
If rapid growth crosses percentile lines on its curve, it may be due to too much fluid inside the brain or another brain-related problem. A newborn with a significantly large head should probably be scanned to determine the cause. By far the most common cause is family characteristic — meaning, it’s genetic.
What is Macrocephaly in infants?
Macrocephaly (or “big head”) is a very common reason for referral to a pediatric neurosurgeon. Children with macrocephaly have a head circumference (the measurement around the widest part of the head) that is greater than the 98th percentile.
How big should a baby’s head be?
First Measurements. While newborns vary in size and shape as much as adults do, full-term babies tend, on average, to weigh between 5 pounds, 11 ounces and 8 pounds, 6 ounces. They’re usually between 19 and 21 inches long, with a head circumference of about 13 1/2 inches.
What is the disease when you have a big head?
Macrocephaly may be pathological, but many people with abnormally large heads or large skulls are healthy. Pathologic macrocephaly may be due to megalencephaly (enlarged brain), hydrocephalus (water on the brain), cranial hyperostosis (bone overgrowth), and other conditions.
What is Macrocephaly in infants?
Macrocephaly (or “big head”) is a very common reason for referral to a pediatric neurosurgeon. Children with macrocephaly have a head circumference (the measurement around the widest part of the head) that is greater than the 98th percentile.
How is hydrocephalus treated most commonly?
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical insertion of a drainage system, called a shunt. It consists of a long, flexible tube with a valve that keeps fluid from the brain flowing in the right direction and at the proper rate. One end of the tubing is usually placed in one of the brain’s ventricles.
How is microcephaly caused?
What causes microcephaly? Babies may also be born with microcephaly if, during pregnancy, their mother abused drugs or alcohol, became infected with a cytomegalovirus, rubella (German measles), or varicella (chicken pox) virus, was exposed to certain toxic chemicals, or had untreated phenylketonuria (PKU).
How do you test for microcephaly?
Diagnostic tests that may be performed to confirm the diagnosis of microcephaly and identify abnormalities in the brain include:
Head circumference.
X-ray.
Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or a CAT scan).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Blood tests.
Urine tests.
Do all babies have big heads?
Brain Size. In comparison with other primates, humans have disproportionately large brains. Due to the imbalance between brain and body development during pregnancy, however, the heads of babies are much larger than those of adults relative to their body size.
Can microcephaly be treated?
Microcephaly is a lifelong condition. There is no known cure or standard treatment for microcephaly. These services, known as early intervention, can include speech, occupational, and physical therapies. Sometimes medications also are needed to treat seizures or other symptoms.
Do babies have fast heart beats?
A child’s hearts normally beat faster than an adult’s. A healthy adult heart rate can range from 60 to 100 beats per minute during rest. Kids’ heart rates can be as low as 60 beats per minute during sleep and as high as 220 beats per minute during strenuous physical activity.
Why do pediatricians measure head circumference?
A: A baby’s brain and head do 80 percent of their growing during the first two years. Measuring head circumference helps doctors track the brain’s growth as the skull bones fuse together. It’s normal for a baby’s head size to seem disproportionate to her height and weight.
What is hydrocephalus in infants?
It then pools, causing a buildup of fluid in the skull. Hydrocephalus (also called “water on the brain”) can make babies’ and young children’s heads swell to make room for the excess fluid. Older kids, whose skull bones have matured and fused together, have painful headaches from the increased pressure in the head.
What is fetal Macrocephaly?
[Developmental outcome of fetal macrocephaly and associated syndromes]. Macrocephaly is defined as an enlargement of the head circumference above the 98th percentile or greater than two standard deviations above the mean normalized for age and gender.
How many pounds does a child’s head weigh?
Average Human Head Weight. Danny Yee. May-June 2006. “An adult human head cut off around vertebra C3, with no hair, weighs somewhere between 4.5 and 5kg, constituting around 8% of the whole body mass.”
What does head circumference mean?
Head circumference is a measurement of a child’s head around its largest area. It measures the distance from above the eyebrows and ears and around the back of the head.
What is Alexander’s disease?
Alexander disease is a rare disorder of the nervous system. It is one of a group of disorders, called leukodystrophies, that involve the destruction of myelin. Myelin is the fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers and promotes the rapid transmission of nerve impulses.
What does it mean if you have a big head?
Hurlburt: Even though head size also depends on factors such as the muscularity of the head and thickness of the bone, it’s very likely that a bigger head means a bigger brain. But Hurlburt says people with bigger brains aren’t necessarily smarter than those with smaller ones.
What is lanugo and what is the purpose of it?
It is seen on infants born at thirty-nine weeks of gestation, that is, full term. Lanugo functions as an anchor to hold the vernix caseosa on the skin. Together they protect the delicate foetal skin from being damaged by the amniotic fluid. The vernix caseosa also helps to prepare the foetus for life outside the womb.