Fontanel in the baby: what is it and when does it close?
A baby does not yet have a fully closed skull and parents are often frightened by the soft spots that a small child has on his head. These fontanelles are a clever invention of nature. Why do children have fontanelles and when does the skull close completely?
What is a fontanel?
Fontanelles are the points where the skull plates meet. In babies, they still consist of connective tissue until the skull plates are completely fused together. There are a total of six fontanelles on the human skull, but only two of them are visible and palpable in babies: The large fontanel is located above the forehead on the front of the head and the small fontanel at the rear end of the upper skull. The size of the Large Fontanel varies greatly from child to child: on average, it measures two by two centimeters, but is only penny in size in some and can have a diameter of up to four and a half centimeters in the others.
What is the purpose of a fontanel?
Nature came up with the fontanelles so that our children could see the light of day at all. Due to the soft skull bones and the fontanelles, the infant skull is very flexible. This allows the babies to squeeze through the narrow birth canal because the baby’s head deforms as needed. In this way, our children are prepared for even the worst “bottlenecks”. Mothers who have delivered without a cesarean section are often a little shocked when they see their child for the first time after birth because he has a pointed or slanted head. However, the worries are unfounded, because the skull usually restores its symmetrical shape within a few days to weeks.
Even after birth, a certain malleability of the skull is important. It gives the brain the necessary space for its growth.
When do the fontanelles close?
In the first two months after birth, the fontanelles initially enlarge a bit because the skull begins to grow. The period until the complete closure of a child’s skull bones varies in length. Sometimes the skull is already closed at twelve months, but usually it takes more than 24 months, in rare cases three to four years. So don’t worry if you have the impression that the fontanel is not growing over. You can rely on your pediatrician to monitor this development during check-ups.
Fontanelle: What needs to be considered?
The large fontanel is very easy to feel above your baby’s forehead. If you swipe your fingers over it, you will feel a throbbing. The fontanel pulsates because the blood vessels are underneath. If blood flows through, the site begins to throbb slightly. Of course, you are careful with your baby’s head and you don’t have to worry about the fontanel. You may touch them gently. The concern of many parents that the fontanel is very sensitive is unfounded. Fontanelles are covered by a robust tissue that provides sufficient protection to the brain. That’s why you can also gently stroke the head of small babies.
The fontanel as a disease alarm
The appearance of the fontanel gives clues to possible diseases of your child: If the scalp bulges or sinks outwards at the point, you should contact a pediatrician as soon as possible.