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Enlarged fontanelles are larger than expected soft spots for the age of a baby.
The skull of an infant or young child is made up of bony plates that allow for growth of the skull. The borders at which these plates intersect are called sutures or suture lines. The spaces where these connect, but are not completely joined, are called soft spots or fontanelle (fontanel or fonticulus).
Alternative NamesSoft spot - large
ConsiderationsFontanelles allows for growth of the skull during an infant's first year. Slow or incomplete closure of the skull bones is most often the cause of a wide fontanelle.
For general information, see fontanelles.
Common CausesLarger than normal fontanelles are most commonly caused by:
- Down syndrome
- Hydrocephalus
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)
- Premature birth
Rarer causes:
- Achondroplasia
- Apert syndrome
- Cleidocranial dysostosis
- Congenital rubella
- Neonatal hypothyroidism
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Rickets
If you think that the fontanelles on your baby's head are excessively large, talk to your health care provider. Most of the time, this sign will have been seen during the baby's first medical exam.
What to expect at your health care provider's officeAn enlarged large fontanelle is almost always found by the health care provider during a physical exam.
- The health care provider will examine the child and measure the child's head around the largest area.
- The doctor may also turn off the lights and shine a bright light over the child's head.
- Your baby's soft spot will be regularly checked at each well-child visit.
Blood tests and imaging tests of the head may be done.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 11/07/2011
Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
What else can I help you with?
What are fontanelles replaced by after birth?
Fontanels are a mesenchyme (loose connective tissue) filled space where bone formation is not yet complete, especially between the cranial bones of an infant's skull. Fontanels are replaced and covered by the growth of bone over that connective tissue in time, into a suture (an immovable joint) that connect the different portions of the skull.
What are the membranous sheets that connect developing cranial bones called?
The membranous sheets that connect developing cranial bones are called fontanelles. These soft spots on a baby's head allow for flexibility during birth and rapid brain growth in the first few years of life.
How many bones are there in a babies skull are held together by membranous regions?
There are six bones in a baby's skull that are connected by membranous regions called fontanelles. These fontanelles allow for some flexibility during childbirth and allow the skull to grow rapidly in the early years of life.
Which parts of a microscope forms an enlarged image of a specimens?
The lenses of a microscope form an enlarged image of a specimen.
Spaces or soft spots in the cranium that allow for the enlargement of the skull as brain growth occurs?
Fontanelles are spaces between the bones in an infant's skull that allow for brain growth and development. These soft spots allow the skull to expand as the brain grows rapidly in the early years of life. Fontanelles eventually close as the bones in the skull fuse together.
What are fontanelles composed of?
Fontanelles are usually made of wood in most instances. They are used to protect the keys and mechanisms on wind instruments.
What are the soft spots on a babies head called?
The fontanelles.
Baby's soft spots are called?
Fontanelles. These are spaces between the bones in a baby's skull that allow for the brain to grow and develop. They typically close by the time the child is around 18 months old.
What is the medical term meaning soft spot or membranous joint?
frontanelles
What is the space between the cranial bones of a newborn?
Fontanelles or Fontanel (soft spots)
What actors and actresses appeared in Hobgoblins - 1988?
The cast of Hobgoblins - 1988 includes: Ken Abraham as Thug Tom Bartlett as Kevin Steven Boggs as Kyle Tony Cisero as Fontanelles--Drums Tamara Clatterbuck as Fantazia Cole Coonce as Fontanelles--Guitar Jeffrey Culver as McCreedy Patrick Dean Bostrom as Fontanelles--Guitar Billy Frank as Nick Kari French as Pixie Mark Hodson as Fontanelles--Bass Kevin Kildow as Dennis James Mayberry as Sergeant Parker Daran Norris as Club Scum M.C Kelley Palmer as Daphne Spit Spingola as Fontanelles--Vocal Paige Sullivan as Amy David Teague as Lowlife Duane Whitaker as Roadrash
What are fontanelles replaced by after birth?
Fontanels are a mesenchyme (loose connective tissue) filled space where bone formation is not yet complete, especially between the cranial bones of an infant's skull. Fontanels are replaced and covered by the growth of bone over that connective tissue in time, into a suture (an immovable joint) that connect the different portions of the skull.
What if ventricular system is minimally enlarged?
enlarged
What are the areas in the infant skull that permit the shape of the skull to change during childbirth called?
These are called the fontanelles.
What are the membranous sheets that connect developing cranial bones called?
The membranous sheets that connect developing cranial bones are called fontanelles. These soft spots on a baby's head allow for flexibility during birth and rapid brain growth in the first few years of life.
How many bones are there in a babies skull are held together by membranous regions?
There are six bones in a baby's skull that are connected by membranous regions called fontanelles. These fontanelles allow for some flexibility during childbirth and allow the skull to grow rapidly in the early years of life.
What is the gap between the bones of the skull on a baby's head that closes and hardens by the age of eighteen months called?
The lines where bones meet are called the sutures, In newborns there are also soft spots present that you must be careful not to damage...these are called fontanelles, and will close as the cranium sections grow together.The two major fontanelles are called the anterior and posterior fontanelles. During infancy, the anterior is also known as the bregma, the point where the frontal and parietal bones meet.
