Measuring head - what disease for large head?

amother

Wed, Apr 28 2010, 11:59 pm

You know how often the dr measures your kid's head when they are little? What are they looking for (other than that simply it is growing). What diseases are associated with big heads? I have a specific reason for asking...

hadasa

Thu, Apr 29 2010, 2:09 am

A too large head could ch"v be a sign of hydrocephalus (water in the brain) but I know two cases where the doctors got nervous and ordered extra testing, but it turned out that large heads just run in the family and the kids were perfectly fine. (and a similar story about a small head, too. )

natmichal

Thu, Apr 29 2010, 6:35 am

Same here- Hydrocephalus. We actually saw that ds probably had it during pregnancy, and it became a definite yes after birth.
It needs surgery- if you leave it as it, the liquid in the brain keeps accumulating there instead of going down the spine. It thus enlarge the baby's head- since the skull is still flexible. The problem really starts when the skull is less pliable when not only you have an enormous head but the liquids start putting pressure on the brain, resulting in the death of the toddler.
Nowadays, yo do NOT get to this stage, since if it is diagnosed , the infant goes through surgery. During surgery a shunt is put in the head with a tube going all the way down the tummy, where the liquid will be going.
Although it IS brain surgery, is is considered a very safe and 'easy" one, with only 4-5 days in hospital after it. The baby's head "shrinks" right back to normal after it, and then you go see the doctor every so oftn (now ds is 7, we're down to once a year or so.
Eventually, the kid-teenager need repeat surgery when the tube get too short...

chaylizi

Thu, Apr 29 2010, 8:54 am

kalsee wrote:

sometimes a small head is the problem.

it can be- it can mean the fontanels closed early or there is a brain growth problem. It can also be nothing. All my kids have small heads. My ped never lets the nurse measure for her, she needs to do it herself to make sure there is a difference between visits.

Large head though- like most posters already said, could be indicative of hydrocephalus. Or they could just have a very large head.