Baby's head circumference: why it is so important
Related Videos: Intergrowth 21st Project - Head circumference training video (May 2024).
When a baby is born, there are all kinds of body parts that are examined for function and size - the head circumference is one of them. In this health tip, we explain why checking is so important and what the size of the baby's head says.
That says the head circumference of the baby
A few hours to days after the birth, some important tests and reaction tests are carried out on the newborn. The head circumference is also measured and used as an important measure.
- The head circumference of a baby is regularly measured during pregnancy in order to check the level of development and to rule out possible diseases. Inadequate or faulty development of the unborn child could thus be diagnosed early by the circumference of the head.
- After the birth of the child, the head circumference, along with the weight, is one of the most meaningful parameters for healthy further development. The brain is experiencing a growth spurt and developing rapidly. That is why the head grows faster than any other body part or organ in the first twelve months of life.
- If the routine measurement of the circumference of the head shows that it is too small or too large, the doctor can determine or rule out possible diseases or delays in development using other examination methods.
- Up to the age of two, therefore, the baby's head circumference is regularly measured during preventive examinations, such as the U4 examination.
This head circumference in the baby is normal
Of course, as for most measurements in medicine, there are also norm values for the baby's head circumference. The size of the baby's head is influenced by various aspects:
- Basically, if the baby's parents both have a large head circumference, it is very likely that the newborn will also have a larger head. Likewise, parents with a small head size are unlikely to have a child with a very large head.
- After birth, the baby's head circumference is measured for the first time using a measuring tape. Values between 32 and 37 cm are in the normal range. If your child's head size is small, this is not automatically a cause for concern.
- The head circumference of premature babies is usually not in the normal range, since the premature birth means that there is a lower level of development. However, the growth of the brain and thus the circumference of the head also goes quickly in the first months. By the age of two, premature babies are usually on par with normal babies.
- Doctors base their head circumference on so-called percentile curves. The height and weight of the baby are also taken into account. Depending on which percentile the child is on, it can be read whether it is normally developed.
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