What can cause a baby to have a large head?

Causes of macrocephaly include: Benign familial macrocephaly – other family members with big heads (inherited) Excess fluid in the brain – benign extra-axial fluid of infancy or hydrocephalus.

What does it mean when your baby has a big head?

Macrocephaly is the term for an unusually large head. An infant with macrocephaly will have a larger head than most other infants of the same age and sex. In many cases, this condition is benign or harmless. In other cases, it may indicate an underlying medical condition, such as a genetic syndrome or a brain tumor.

What causes a baby’s head to grow too fast?

It’s normal for a baby’s head to grow a lot during the first year. But with congenital hydrocephalus, the head may grow faster than the normal rate for a baby’s height and weight. The condition may cause the soft spot (fontanelle) on your baby’s head to feel firm or bulge out.

Does a big head always mean hydrocephalus?

Abnormal head size, sometimes too subtle to perceive with the unaided eye, is the most frequent way hydrocephalus is discovered. However, a large head, also known as macrocephaly, does not necessarily mean a patient has hydrocephalus.

What is a big head a sign of?

One of the most common reasons for macrocephaly is something that doctors call “benign familial macrocephaly.” In other words, big heads run in your family. A doctor might determine that a baby’s big head is inherited by measuring the heads of the parents.

Is a big head a sign of intelligence?

Those with the biggest heads tended to have the highest IQ scores. The researchers found that head growth by age 1 was the key factor. Catch-up growth didn’t matter as much.

Will my baby’s head round out on its own?

In most cases, your baby’s head shape will resolve on its own. Given time and a little effort, your baby’s head will grow and return to normal as they begin moving and doing more. Wearing a helmet is also a good way to correct large malformation or flat spots on your baby’s head.

When should I be concerned about my baby’s head shape?

Let your doctor know immediately if you notice anything unusual or different about your baby’s head shape, like: your baby’s head shape is still misshapen 2 weeks or more after birth. a bulging or swollen spot on your baby’s head. a sunken soft spot on your baby’s head.

What is abnormal head circumference?

Macrocephaly refers to an overly large head. It’s often a symptom of complications or conditions in the brain. There’s a standard used to define macrocephaly: The circumference of a person’s head is more than two standard deviations above average for their age. Or, their head is larger than the 98th percentile.

What disease makes your head big?

Macrocephaly is a condition in which circumference of the human head is abnormally large. It may be pathological or harmless, and can be a familial genetic characteristic. People diagnosed with macrocephaly will receive further medical tests to determine whether the syndrome is accompanied by particular disorders.

What does a baby with hydrocephalus look like?

Babies younger than 1 year old still have their “soft spot” because their skull bones have not fully grown together yet. In them, hydrocephalus usually leads to bulging at the soft spot, increasing head size, and large scalp veins. Older children with hydrocephalus usually complain of headache.

Can someone with hydrocephalus have a baby?

Women successfully treated for hydrocephalus and reproductive aged women with a shunt are becoming pregnant. In the literature, there have been still published various complications during pregnancy and delivery. Some studies pointed to a high incidence of complications for some pregnant patients with VP.

Is flat head a sign of autism?

Macrocephaly is also associated with social difficulties and delayed onset of language10. Do some people with autism have an unusually small head instead? Yes, some autistic people have a small head, or microcephaly, although this seems to be much less common than macrocephaly — and much less is known about it1.

Is Macrocephaly a disability?

A rare, genetic, neurological disease characterized by association of macrocephaly, dysmorphic facial features and psychomotor delay leading to intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder.

What is a large head size?

Hat Sizing Chart *