Worried sick (XP - 3-6 Months)
lydiarose2001
member
LO had his 4-month well-child appointment on Friday. They took all measurements as usual, and although his height and weight were perfectly proportionate (both right at the 25th percentile) his head circumference was very large for his body (94th percentile). He has always had kind of a big head (it was 82nd percentile at his 2 month visit) and the nurse practitioner said she thinks he's probably fine because the measurement hasn't crossed 2 standard deviations yet, but she is having him come back in a month early to have another measurement done. If it has grown more, they will do an ultrasound of his fontanel to make sure there isn't too much fluid in his cranium.
So....I am now totally neurotic about it and I think the next month is going to kill me. DH and I don't have any family history of any of the congenital conditions of which a large head is a symptom, and LO hasn't really had any of the conditions that can cause excessive fluid buildup, but I am going nuts reading about all this stuff online, checking his fontanel for bulging, etc. I know that every time he gets fussy, extra tired, or seems to be behind on even one milestone that I am going to jump to conclusions.
Have any of your LOs had large heads for their body? How did your doctors deal with it? What was the outcome?
Re: Worried sick (XP - 3-6 Months)
I don't have any advice. But I will say STEP AWAY FROM DR. GOOGLE!! Seriously, it's just a bad place to look for medial information.
Just try to stay calm about it and listen to his doctors.
My daughter's head was in the 2nd percentile at birth, then jumped to over the 75% within a couple of months (I don't remember exactly when it made the biggest jump). She was always on the smaller side for weight and length (10th and 25th percentiles respectively). Now that she's 2, she is average for height and weight but is in the 90th percentile for head circumference.
Her doctors never mentioned a concern, so I'm not worried.
I hope this eases your anxiety a little. I'm glad they are keeping an eye on it if they are concerned, but in the mean time know that it is most likely normal.
I second the backing away from google...you will worry yourself sick!
DD's head circumference at her one month was 75%, at her two month, 90% and the doctor was not concerned at all. Also, sometimes, I question the validity of the measurements, I do not know about your pediatrician, but when they take the measurements at DDs, she is always squirming so I would venture a guess that the results are not always exact.
I know its very hard as a parent not to worry about these things, but try to stay positive
, if the doctor was really concerned, they would of been much more proactive about this issue!
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sibling love
my daughter was born with ventriculomegaly, which is enlarged brain ventricles (the part of the brain where spinal fluid flows). we found out she had the problem at my 20 week ultrasound. this is likely what your doc is worried about, or the more severe case which is called hydrocephalus.
my baby is 100% perfectly normal and we have had zero problems. even if your baby is diagnosed w something similar its not necessarily a cause for huge concern. i hope your baby is perfectly normal, but if he/she does have the same problem its really going to be okay!
message me if you ever have Qs.
Jan17 Sept Sig: Pumpkin Spice gone too far
Did your DD ever have to have any kind of treatment/surgery? Or just monitoring?
She's just been monitored. They won't do anything surgical unless the baby has hydrocephalus which requires a shunt. That's typically a really severe case though, so it's unlikely you'll have that problem if there is a fluid build up.