Why is the baby's head elongated? Head shape in newborns. Newborn baby

During childbirth, it is not only difficult for the mother, but also for the baby. He, passing through the birth canal and the hole between the bones of the mother's pelvis, pushes the soft tissues with the head. From time to time, the baby turns, adapting to the winding route. At this moment, a huge pressure is applied to the head of the child, as a result of which he receives something like a birth injury, and appears on the head.

By the way, if the fetus is located in the mother’s stomach not with her head, but with her legs down (this is called), then the pressure will be on the lower part of his body, and the buttocks of the newborn will be bruised. You should not worry about this: after 2-3 days, all these temporary phenomena will pass by themselves, without any intervention from the parents.

But with the head of the child will not experience such pressure, so it will be even and slightly larger.

Circle or oval - depends on mom

The bones of the skull of the unborn baby are connected by movable and thin shells. This allows them to move relative to each other, which protects the baby's head from injury when born. At the junctions of the cranial bones there are spaces covered with connective rather than bone tissue - they are called. By the way, the fontanelles serve as an identification mark for the obstetrician, who notes in which direction the head has turned - this, in turn, is important for the course of childbirth.

The shape of the skull almost completely depends on the structure of the birth canal of his mother. Doctors distinguish two options: round, with clearly visible frontal tubercles (brachycephalic), and elongated oval (dolichocephalic or tower). Immediately after birth, the skull of a newborn is elongated in the anterior and posterior directions, but after a few months it will begin to increase slightly in the transverse direction, and the shape of the baby's head will gradually become the same as that of all of us.

Relative to the size of the body, the head of the newborn looks disproportionately large. Its circumference is about 2 cm larger than the circumference of the chest, and this is considered the norm for newborns. Already by 4 months, these sizes will equalize, and by the year the second value will become about 2 centimeters larger than the first.

Correct size

Head circumference is an important indicator that can tell an experienced doctor a lot about the health of a child. Therefore, the pediatrician necessarily compares the head circumference at birth and in subsequent months, and compares them with the data of a special anthropometric table.

Normally, the size of the head of a newborn should not exceed 34-36 cm. But if the numbers are larger, you should not immediately panic: it happens that the head size of the baby inherits from relatives, and with age everything returns to normal. But indicators less than 34 cm are found in premature babies, as well as in children who experienced too much pressure and compression (compression) during childbirth.

If a child was born prematurely, the circumference of his head will increase faster than that of full-term peers, while the head grows most actively during those periods when the baby gains weight well. So by the year the circumference of the skull y should reach a normal size.

Head size deviations can be associated with an infection that the expectant mother had during pregnancy, while the head can be either too small or too large.

What causes the size of the head?

The main reason for this is birth trauma and congenital diseases. Birth trauma can occur if the fetal head does not match the size, as well as if the expectant mother had diabetes or hyperthyroidism. Sometimes injuries occur if a woman behaves incorrectly during childbirth and does not obey the doctor. Of course, the consequences of such injuries (as well as the injuries themselves) are different, but now they have learned how to treat them, and by the age of one, babies usually recover, and head sizes also return to normal.

But this, alas, does not apply to congenital diseases - they are much more difficult to treat. So, a large volume of the head happens with (dropsy of the brain). At the same time, fluid accumulates in the cavities of the brain, due to which its volume increases. This is an extremely difficult and life-threatening situation for a child, but it is very rare. The opposite situation - too small a head - can be observed with another complex and, fortunately, rare pathology - microcephaly (underdevelopment of the brain). You can detect such problems even during pregnancy on an ultrasound scan, and then begin treatment.

Size control

To make sure that the child develops normally, parents can measure the circumference of his head.

A newborn's head must be flexible enough to provide enough space for the baby's growing brain. And it grows very fast!
But there is also the other side of the coin - the danger of slight deformation of the skull. In fact, every third newborn has a so-called skull deformity (irregular head shape).
There are many options for head deformity in newborns. Some are born with a non-standard head shape, while others acquire deformities in early infancy. Also, the shape and size of the head are genetically determined. It can change under the influence of a number of diseases, as well as as a result of pathological childbirth, or even under the influence of environmental factors.

Important! About 90% of all cases of skull deformation are provoked not by genetic, but by external factors that affected a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and also on a baby in the first month of life. Almost all of these problems can be solved without surgery.

Children who were born with a severe deformity of the skull require immediate medical attention. But in most cases, the irregular shape and size of the skull do not pose a threat to the health and life of the baby and are not too pronounced.

Narrow, elongated head:

If the baby's head looks narrow and elongated, then this indicates that a change in shape occurred after birth, especially after premature birth. Otherwise, such an elongated shape of the skull is called boat-like. This is a very common occurrence among preterm babies. In medicine, this anomaly is also called scaphocephaly and dolichocephaly. It has been proven that such an anomaly often occurs due to the common practice of putting premature babies to sleep on their tummy, and not on their back. But it is worth distinguishing the influence of such a posture for full-term children. The pose on the stomach is considered safe for them. But premature babies are best placed on their backs.
The elongated shape of the head may indicate the presence of craniosynostosis, a pathology in which the cranial plates of a newborn grow together prematurely. In this case, surgical intervention cannot be avoided.

conical head:

Many parents are very frightened when they see that their newborn baby has a cone-shaped head. Although this fact upsets parents, this phenomenon happens very often and develops as a result of labor, during which the baby's head is squeezed through the cervix and vagina. Most often, such a deformation of the skull develops as a result of the influence of such factors:

During the first birth;
- As a result of breech presentation of the fetus;
- When applying forceps or using a vacuum during delivery;
- With prolonged childbirth;
- If the mother has a deformed cervix or is too narrow.

Yet, despite the fact that this head shape does not look very pretty, this phenomenon is not dangerous. And this state is temporary and safe. After a few months, your newborn's head will take on a natural and normal shape.

Flat Head Shape:

Such a deformation of the head occurs after the birth of the baby. It is very common among newborns. In medicine, this phenomenon is called plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome). This phenomenon means prolonged external compression of the child's head. With such a deformation of the skull, the baby's face is slightly asymmetrical or shifted back. Bald patches appear on the head itself.
Oddly enough it sounds, but such a phenomenon as a flat head shape is a favorable sign and indicates that the baby is sleeping in a safe position - on his back. Doctors call this type of deformity deformative plagiocephaly. In this case, the head becomes flat on one side. But there are cases of bilateral plagiocephaly.
This shape of the head can confirm that the baby spends a long time lying on the back or sitting in a pram or car seat. If the skull is deformed for this reason, then this phenomenon is temporary and safe for the child. This defect may disturb parents only because of visual manifestations. After a few months, after acquiring the skills of new movements, the skull will again take on a natural shape.

To prevent the appearance of a flat skull or correct an existing one, you must perform the following steps:

Place small pillows to change the position of the baby's head, but in no case leave the child unattended;
- Try to keep your child as little time as possible in a stroller or car seat;
- Hold your baby in your arms more often to minimize pressure on his head;
- Lay the baby on the tummy more often;
- If you are bottle feeding your baby, remember to switch from one hand to the other to change the position of the body;
- Make sure that when sleeping on the back, the child's head is not constantly turned to one side. To do this, you can hang bright objects from different sides. Also, every couple of days, turn the baby over in the crib - put the head where the legs lay and vice versa.

There are reasons why a flat skull should be a concern. If the child's head is flattened on one side, and the baby constantly tilts it to that side, this may indicate an existing torticollis. Since children with this disease sleep mainly on one side, the head is flattened on this side. It is important that sometimes a flat skull can cause torticollis. Then doctors prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures or a special cranial apparatus (has the shape of a helmet and is the most effective remedy for children from 4 to 12 months). Surgical methods of treatment in this case, as a rule, are not carried out.
This deformity of the skull occurs equally in both boys and girls.

Head deformity in older children:

If the deformity of the head persists longer than the first few months, then this may indicate craniosynostosis - a potentially dangerous premature fusion of the cranial bones. The child's condition becomes more complicated depending on the number of prematurely fused sutures.
When this happens, the brain, which grows in size, begins to put pressure on the skull, bursting it. The shape of the skull directly depends on which sutures and their number have grown together prematurely. If the brain does not have enough room to grow, then the pressure in the skull will increase, which will lead to a delay in mental and physical development, as well as permanent damage to the eyes. In this case, craniosynostosis requires surgical intervention.
Very often, doctors confuse plagiocephaly with dangerous craniosynostosis. A lot of children have received unjustified and senseless surgical intervention. Parents should definitely consult with more than one specialist before deciding on a surgical intervention. The symptoms of plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are very similar, which is why there is confusion in the diagnoses.

Big head:

In newborns, the normal head circumference is from 30 to 35 centimeters, which is approximately equal to the circumference of his chest. If the size of the head exceeds the norm, then we are talking about macrocephaly. Often such head sizes are due to heredity (the so-called familial macrocephaly). This condition should not bother parents, since it does not require medical intervention.

An enlarged head may indicate hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain). This is a very dangerous disease when the baby's head increases as a result of leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. It can manifest itself as a result of violations in the prenatal period, various head injuries or the most dangerous infections - meningitis or encephalitis. In addition to the enlarged head, such conditions are accompanied by other signs:

O The child's gaze is directed downward;
o Increased irritability;
o Drowsiness;
o Vomiting;
o Convex crown.

In some cases, the disease may go away on its own, but more often than not, the baby needs surgery to avoid brain damage and prevent the death of the newborn.

Small head:

If your baby's head seems too small in relation to the body, then most likely the parents have nothing to worry about. But if the circumference of the child's head is significantly smaller than the circumference of the chest, then this indicates microcephaly. Sometimes this phenomenon occurs against the background of craniosynostosis (premature fusion of the bones of the skull).
An atypically small head that is diagnosed immediately after birth or in early childhood may indicate that the baby's brain is growing more slowly than it should. It can start in utero due to genetic disorders, infections, or pregnancy complications. Microcephaly is a sign of fetal alcohol syndrome.
When it comes to the baby's head, its size, as a rule, does not matter much. The main thing in this matter is the speed of its growth, which is the best indicator of the health of the newborn. The circumference of the child's skull must be measured during each preventive examination in a children's clinic:

From birth to 3 months, the baby's head circumference should increase by 2 centimeters every month;
From 3 to 6 months, head circumference increases by 1 centimeter per month;
From 6 to 12 months, head circumference increases by 0.5 centimeters every month.

If microcephaly appears already during the period of growth of the baby, then this most often signals a malnutrition of the child or genetic diseases. Children with microcephaly often experience delayed mental and physical development.
In the next generation (in the heirs of such babies), the likelihood of the appearance of pathologies of the body, as well as epilepsy, increases. Microcephaly is an incurable disease, but timely diagnosis and proper treatment can help get rid of some problems.

Behavioral disorders associated with the growth of the head and brain:

Headbutts...

Head bumps can be a concern for parents. But occasional head movements, as well as thumb sucking and finger hair curling, can help the baby calm down. Such phenomena are typical for 20% of healthy babies. They help them calm down as they mimic movements in the womb. At the same time, in boys, such phenomena are observed much more often.
Some children start banging their heads in hysterics. Hitting and waving the head can be a sign of physical discomfort as a result of temporary factors (during teething, pain in the ears).
Dynamic head rotations allow hyperactive babies to relax. Children who feel lonely may also shake or bang their heads to calm themselves. Especially often this phenomenon is observed among deaf or blind children, as well as children with mental retardation.
Many babies with autism or Asperger's Syndrome (a mild form of autism) can beat or shake their heads frequently and for a long time. This can easily lead to injury to the child.
In normal children, this behavior lasts no more than 15 minutes and does not lead to injury. But still, in the event of a tantrum, kids can hurt themselves something.
Most often, this form of behavior completely stops by the age of four.

Diagnosis of the condition of the head:

Immediately after the birth of a child, the pediatrician carefully examines the baby's head, in particular, pays attention to its shape and size. Neurological and other basic functions are checked using the very first test in the life of every baby - the Apgar test. Thus, most diseases associated with the head are detected already during the first examination of the newborn.
During each examination by the pediatrician of the baby, it is necessary to measure the circumference of the head and check the condition of the crowns and the shape of the skull. The doctor should also test the baby's ability to raise its head and rotate it from side to side.
But most often, only parents can notice the earliest signs of deviations.

A child requires medical attention if:

One or more crowns suddenly become bulging or sunken;
- The child began convulsions (attack);
- The kid hit his head hard or was injured;
- The child does not respond to stimuli or cannot be awakened;
- For some reason, the baby cannot raise his head;
- The child suddenly loses coordination;
- The baby seems confused and disoriented;
- The child has a severe headache (especially if it is accompanied by vomiting and fever).

Try to timely pay attention to any violations and changes in the health of your baby!

Why does the child have such an irregular head shape? For what reason?

Only in rare cases are the causes genetic or hereditary.

In the bulk, the mechanism for the appearance of an anomaly in the shape of the head is associated with the position of the fetus in the womb and with the birth process.

In the womb in the last weeks of pregnancy, the baby's head "rests" against the mother's stomach, which creates an asymmetry in the shape of the skull. Features of the structure of the maternal pelvis, the structure of the sacrum and the angle that it forms, the features of the birth process, these are the main reasons that affect the shape of the baby's head.

The natural behavior of a baby affected during childbirth will be to seek a comfortable position that allows you to get rid of tension in the tissues. He will tend to turn his head to the left or right, or throw it back. (Very often, this position of the head is due to congenital torticollis, which I call "false torticollis", since it does not have all the clinical signs. In fact, this is an analgesic position in relation to the tension caused by cranial asymmetry. Therefore, differential diagnosis is very important, since (as in each case, the main treatment will be different. In true congenital torticollis, the treatment is performed by a kinesiotherapist, and then by an osteopath (in that order), or both simultaneously. In false torticollis, priority is given to the osteopath, who himself can get rid of this problem.)

What are parents doing?

When parents see that the child is lying on the same cheek, they allow him to do so, taking care of his comfort. Thus, with the "consent of the parents", the child fixes or aggravates the asymmetry of the skull. The bones of the skull are very soft and plastic, and the skull is able to deform under its own weight.

What should parents do?

The work of an osteopath is necessary, but 80% of the success of the treatment will depend on the parents. With a severe deformation of the skull, the doctor will not be able to fix anything alone. A thirty-minute session once a week will not correct the situation if, in the 7 or 15 days following the session, the baby lies in his favorite position, and no one controls his position.

The success of the treatment will depend on three people. From mom or nanny, osteopath and the baby himself. Moms need to use a special device that allows the child to maintain exactly the position recommended by the osteopath. It is useful up to 5 months. To begin with, they put it on during daytime sleep and make sure that the child does not throw it off until he gets used to it. From birth to a month, the child allows this to be done and retains the position in which he is placed. From one to two months it is more difficult. After three months, this will become impossible, as the child will become very mobile.

The brace must fit snugly to keep the head in the desired position. The child should not be able to move his head freely. Required for security reasons. For the child to sleep on his back. But the lateral position is also possible if, as a precaution, the child is under constant supervision to avoid the slightest risk. Thus, it is possible to give a sparing position to the deformed side of the skull, thereby ensuring its correction.

When the baby lies on his back, the mother stimulates, as often as possible, the rotation of the head in the opposite direction from the baby's favorite. This can be done with toys or by turning the baby 90 degrees away from the stimulus toy.

If mom correctly follows all my instructions, then progress becomes clear from session to session, even with pronounced asymmetries. The more diligent the mother is, the sooner the success of the treatment is visible, the fewer sessions are required for correction. In general, asymmetries are correctable.

Is it necessary to correct the asymmetry of the skull only for aesthetic reasons?

Of course, aesthetics should not be neglected, although the hair will hide many of the irregularities of the skull. But not only asymmetry is the reason for a visit to an osteopath. And that's why.

The fundamental principle to be followed is this: any asymmetry of one part of the skull is reflected in the entire head complex, which also becomes asymmetric.

The head is not only the bones of the skull, it is also our sense organs, our receptors: eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

What is the relationship between asymmetry and receptors?

Eyes

They are located inside two bony orbits, left and right. To ensure normal vision, at least a minimum of symmetry of one eye in relation to the other is necessary.

Normal vision is impossible if there is a violation of the symmetry of the facial part of the skull. If not corrected, the child may develop functional strabismus, hypermetropia, astigmatism, or early myopia.

Ears

The auricles are located on the temporal bones and should normally be symmetrical.

Dr. V. Freiman writes that the axes of the temporal bones normally cross at the level of the body of the sphenoid (main bone of the skull) bone in the region of the Turkish saddle. When one ear is not symmetrical with respect to the other, this axis loses its central position.

The osteopathic concept says that imbalance creates conditions for hearing impairment at a certain stage of life. I believe that such a striking factor is a “cause of reasons” for the emergence of the so-called “primary lesion”, which can give rise to purulent otitis media, chronic otitis media, a violation of spatial orientation, in which the child becomes awkward, has poor control of his body. Other pathologies may appear at the level of the ear, throat and nose.

Nose

Located along the central axis of the face. In fact, it consists of two parts, left and right, separated from each other by a partition. If the skull is symmetrical, the nose will be exactly in the center, and its parts will function harmoniously. The harmony of the function will be broken if the nose is displaced, i.e. the symmetry of the face will be broken. The central bone of the nose and its lateral septa, being asymmetric, will make it difficult for air to pass through the nose. The moisture content of the nasal mucosa will decrease. The bactericidal property of the mucosa will be less effective, which will lead to permanent sinusitis, rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, etc.

Mouth

The oral cavity has a hard palate, divided into four parts. The oral cavity will also be affected by the asymmetry of the skull. If the left side of the palate is asymmetric in relation to the right side, then the symmetry between the jaws is broken and there are problems with the bite of the teeth. The swallowing process may be disturbed. A child in 90% of cases will be doomed to wearing a special orthodontic appliance or a bracket. Jaw deformity may occur, the jaw may shift to one side or the other. Over time, this can create problems at the level of the temporomandibular joint with difficulty opening and closing the mouth, clicking when chewing, and yawning.

vertebral column

He also needs symmetry. The head rests on the first cervical vertebra. No wonder he bears the name of Atlanta. On it lies the lower bone of the skull, the occipital bone. It is the occipital bone that suffers greatly during childbirth. It is she who is subjected to the strongest compressions, loads, displacements. If the occipital bone is flattened, displaced anteriorly, posteriorly, to the right or left, or deviated from its central axis, i.e., the balance will be disturbed, all this will be reflected in the articular surfaces of the condyles, with which the first cervical vertebra or atlas articulates. Atlas will try to compensate for the imbalance. He will adjust to the imbalance. He is obliged to do this in order to ensure that the person's gaze remains horizontal, and the head is placed straight. This is necessary for the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which provide balance to a person in motion.

All other vertebrae, both cervical and thoracic and lumbar, will adjust to compensate for the imbalance. False congenital torticollis, scoliosis will appear. For example, idiopathic scoliosis, that is, scoliosis that does not have an obvious cause, may still have one: it can be provoked by "cranial scoliosis", that is, an imbalance at the level of the skull during childbirth.

That is why cranial asymmetry should not be ignored, mistakenly believing that this problem is only related to aesthetics, and it will resolve itself - by itself or by hair covering it.

The skull and face are formed by the joining of many sutures and bones, which, when articulated together, form an intelligent and coherent structure, homogeneous and functional.

It is quite obvious that the structure of the skull, due to its structure and shape, ensures the protection and functioning of everything that depends on it: organs, nerves, blood and lymphatic vessels. This is very important, since the sense organs and all sensitive receptors connect the newborn's body with the environment. Sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch are feelings that are directly or indirectly related to the totality of the structures and functions of the head.

What should be thought about the shape of the skull?

Here are three examples taken by practice.

Example 1

Some children have an asymmetrical skull without any noticeable abnormalities. They feel good, eat with appetite, sleep well. They calmly behave and develop correctly. Osteopathic tests are almost normal at every level. Despite the asymmetric shape of the head, a relative balance is possible between structure and function. In the near future, the baby is not threatened with health problems. But what will happen next? In adolescence or adulthood? Over time, some ailments may appear, the roots of which go back to asymmetry, which no one has eliminated. If cranial asymmetry is eliminated, big troubles can be avoided in the future.

It is useful for future and young mothers to know about some features of the appearance of newborn children in advance.

If you are a young mother, then imagine a newborn as a plump and smiling creature with cute folds on the arms and legs. Know that life is not like that! Here, a mother takes her first look at a newborn child, and it seems to her that something is wrong with the baby: a big head, a tiny body, crooked legs and arms, skin in spots.

Do not be upset if the newborn baby does not look like the baby in the picture at all. Babies are rarely born pink, plump and smooth. As a rule, newborns have some appearance features that disappear some time after birth. And in order to dispel doubts and fears, you just need to talk about it with the doctor in the hospital.

newborn baby head shape

Often, a mother is frightened at the sight of the non-standard shape of the head of her newborn child - flattened, elongated to the top and, in general, more like an egg than a round head.

• The baby's head is egg-shaped because during childbirth, the bones of his skull adjust to the mother's birth canal. And since this passage is narrow, the head takes on an oblong shape. Literally within a few days, the head of the newborn will become the usual round shape.
• Do you think your baby's head is too big? This can be both an optical illusion and a hereditary trait (if your family has large-headed relatives).
• It happens that mothers get upset when a child is born completely bald, without a single hair on his head. But that doesn't mean it will stay that way. Hair can appear only by 7-8 months of life. However, the first hair usually falls out. And by the year the baby will definitely acquire permanent hair.
• Stroking the head of a newborn baby, the mother gropes for soft depressions covered with thin pulsating membranes. These are fontanelles - places on the bones of the skull that have not yet closed. As a rule, the fontanelles are delayed by the year, but if this happened earlier, then this is the individual feature of the baby's body.

In general, according to the observations of obstetricians and neonatologists, children with a small size of the fontanel are more often born recently. Normally, the fontanel is approximately 1-3 cm, but sometimes less. Many doctors believe that this is caused by a slightly higher dose of vitamins that pregnant women receive during gestation. But even if the fontanel dragged on early, continue to give the child vitamin D.

Well, and, perhaps, the funniest thing that a newborn baby strikes mommy is a snake tongue! The tip of the baby's tongue seems to be slightly forked, because the tongue seems to have grown together with the bottom of the mouth and it is still difficult for it to stretch forward. Do not hesitate: he will definitely do this within the first year of life.

Eyes in newborns

Often, though not always, looking at the baby's eyes, the surprised mother asks herself: why are they so blue, like the surface of the sea? Really, many babies are born with blue eyes but by 6 months, the color of the eyes will change to its own. And then mom will understand exactly who the charming eyes are.

Sometimes it also happens that it is not possible to see the color of the eyes of a newborn at all, because ... he cannot open them. This is due to postpartum edema, if the head “stood” for some time in the birth canal. Don't worry, the swelling will go away on its own.

Sometimes the edema causes an infection of the eyes, but in this case it is always accompanied by mucous or purulent-mucous discharge from the eye. This is treated even in the hospital, and the swelling goes away without consequences.

What else a baby can surprise mommy with is strabismus. Which is not uncommon for newborns. Doctors attribute strabismus to weakness in the abductor muscle of the eye. By six months, this condition goes away on its own.

It also happens that the eyes of a newborn have a bright red color. For example, in the case of a hemorrhage caused by a lack of oxygen during pregnancy or the fact that the child had a difficult birth. The vessels suffer greatly with a lack of oxygen, but then everything passes without a trace.

Head, hair, fontanel, tongue in a newborn

Hypertonicity in a newborn

No matter how much mom tried to say hello to the baby, taking him by the fingers. So far, she is unlikely to succeed because of tightly clenched fists newborn. The pose, when the arms are pressed to the body, and the legs are twisted and tucked up to the stomach, is sublimely called the pose of the Buddha by doctors. All newborns are in this position, which is caused by increased flexor muscle tone in the arms and legs.

Moms should not have worries about this until 3-4 months. Up to this age, increased muscle tone is the norm. By 3 months, the child should begin to unclench and clench his fists, and try to grab the toy with his fingers. If this does not happen, then the problem will have to be solved with the help of a neurologist who will prescribe massage, swimming, and gymnastics.

• Take a closer look at the legs and arms of a newborn, mothers sometimes notice a bluish tint to the feet and fists. This is due to the fact that his blood circulation has not yet improved, and as soon as he moves more energetically, his feet and fists will immediately turn pink.
• Mom worries that the baby's feet are strongly wrapped inward or outward. Both that, and another is explained by weakness of muscles in an ankle joint. Such phenomena are caused by hypoxia (lack of oxygen) during pregnancy. However, you should not worry about this, because such defects are very well corrected with the help of massage.
• Sometimes milk comes out of swollen nipples. It turns out that this is quite normal - both for newborn boys and girls. This is a hormonal crisis in a newborn. It is caused by the mother's hormones getting into the baby's blood. Everything will pass by itself. But in no case should you squeeze milk out of the nipples! It is enough to put dry heat on them. Allocations appear on the 3-5th day of the baby's life, last a week and pass.
• Some young mothers, looking at their newborn boys, do not find their testicles in their natural place. If this happens, then it means that the testicle did not have time to descend into the groin before birth and got stuck in the canal. Up to a year there is no need to be nervous. If the situation has not changed, then the testicles are "brought out" surgically, since they should not be in the abdominal cavity. There is also a reverse situation, the baby is born with large swollen testicles. It is caused by swelling of the testicular lining. He is not treated and passes by itself, but the surgeon observes the baby.
• A real panic is sometimes caused by bloody discharge from the vagina in girls, although there is nothing to worry about. This is the same hormonal crisis that causes milk to come out of the nipples, and it also passes.
• And one more "thing" causes bewilderment of mothers - navels. The stump of the umbilical cord turned outward does not look aesthetically pleasing, but this is not for long. After 10 days, it falls off, and the navel takes on a beautiful ornate shape of a sleeping snail.

Fluff on the skin of a newborn

The skin of a newborn baby does not immediately become beautiful: tender, smooth and pink. At first, it can be frustrating. Red spots, fluff, peeling, protruding vessels, birthmarks. Let's figure it out What should be a concern and what shouldn't?

• Sometimes a baby is born with a bright pink skin color, fluff and a very large amount of birth lubricant. All this is caused by the immaturity of the skin of a newborn baby and disappears as it grows.
• Moms should also not worry about the peeling of the skin of the newborn. It turns out that after several baths, the entire old epidermis peels off, and the baby's skin is renewed.
• Red spots with jagged edges should also not cause fear in parents. Sometimes this is a manifestation of an allergy caused by a malnutrition of the mother, and sometimes an allergic reaction to the waste products of microbes that inhabit the sterile skin of the baby. In this case, you just need to give the newborn a good drink, and the allergen will be removed from the body by itself.
• Some babies are born with red vascular webs. These so-called vascular nevi, although not terrible for the baby, do not go away with age, like brown birthmarks. With wine and Mongoloid birthmarks, children also remain for life. Wine birthmarks of red color occur in children of all nationalities. But Mongoloid blue spots, as a rule, appear in children of southern nations or Asians.
• On the 3rd day of life, the skin of newborns acquires an icteric color. If the mother has a negative Rh factor, and the child is positive or the mother has I blood type, and the child has a different one and jaundice appears on the 1st day of life, then additional blood tests are needed.

When will the "defects" in newborns disappear?

Love for a newborn

After giving birth, mommy experiences feelings of great happiness. There is also a physiological reason for this - a change in the hormonal background. She immediately falls in love with her baby without looking back. If the mother, immediately after birth, did not splash happiness on the baby later, then this is due to various reasons, but not the appearance of the newborn.

Often this happens if the newborn child was immediately taken away from the mother. Then this joy passes to the medical staff, the surrounding doctors - how wonderful everyone is around! Sometimes the connection begins to break down even during pregnancy: if the beloved left the mother or she is immersed in some other problems with her head.

In this case, it is desirable that the mother in the postpartum ward be with the newborn child. But if it is completely unpleasant for her to take care of the baby, then for him it is very bad. Because from her hands the child "reads" the attitude towards himself. Then it's better for mom to help someone else. Meanwhile, she herself slowly and gradually entered into this process.

Even if the newborn is not entirely attractive, for mom he is super handsome. In schools for pregnant women, many mothers, watching educational films, are horrified by the appearance of newborns. But as soon as their own baby is born, their point of view changes dramatically. Your child becomes the most charming, despite all the features of newborns.

Mothers are simply not able to critically approach a newborn child. They love him the way he is. However, a few hours after the birth, the mother may have anxiety. Why is the baby's head shape different? Why is his skin peeling? Where are the red spots from? Mom looks at the newborn and worries. But not because he is not handsome, but because she wants to help him. She loves him already!

“He is so pretty, so small, so fragile,” says the mother and seeks support from doctors. And this is understandable: she is already driven by the most powerful love in the world - maternal.

After all, the first month of a child's life becomes the first critical period for him after birth: it is characterized by the intense work of all organs and systems of the body, "responsible" for the adaptation (adaptation) of the newborn to fundamentally new environmental conditions for him. By the end of this period, all transient processes should be completed, however, under the influence of adverse environmental conditions, with a burdened course of pregnancy and childbirth, the adaptive processes natural for the newborn can take a pathological direction and lead to a neurological disease of the child.

It is at this time that it is necessary to visit a neurologist for the first time - usually just to make sure: the baby is all right; but if this is not so - in order to identify, "capture" the pathology at the very beginning, to prevent the disease from developing. To determine the level of development of the child and exclude neurological pathology, it is important not only to assess the formed reactions to light, sound, motor and psycho-emotional activity of the newborn, but also its appearance (in fact, this last topic will be mainly devoted to my article).

So, what will the neurologist first of all pay attention to when examining a one-month-old baby? On the shape and size of his skull, facial expression, posture, type of skin. Why is it so important? Why are our worries and experiences often associated with the presence of deviations precisely from the appearance of the child, especially if this is a change in the shape and size of the skull? This is primarily due to the fact that such changes can be a diagnostic sign of serious diseases - hydrocephalus and microcephaly.

The shape and size of the skull - a possible pathology

Hydrocephalus - this is an excessive increase in the size of the skull, fontanelles, caused by an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranial cavity. With this disease, the shape of the skull also changes - its brain section significantly predominates over the front, the frontal part sharply protrudes forward, a pronounced venous network is observed in the temples and forehead.

Microcephaly - this is a decrease in the size of the skull and early closure of the fontanelles. In congenital microcephaly, the size of the skull is small from birth, the cranial sutures are narrowed, the fontanelles are either closed or small. In the future, a slower rate of increase in head circumference is noted, so that sometimes in a child of 2-3 years old, the dimensions of the skull are almost the same as at birth. With microcephaly, the skull has a specific shape: the brain region of the skull is smaller than the front, the forehead is small, sloping, the line of the forehead and nose is oblique.

Conditions such as hydro- and microcephaly further lead to a delay in mental and physical development and therefore require correction from a very early age!

...or a reason for further examinations?

But is any deviation from the norm unambiguously indicative of a pathological condition? Of course not! Clinical observations show that there are many factors that influence the shape and size of the head. Of course, even a slight increase or decrease in the circumference of the skull in a newborn compared to the age norm can be considered a risk factor for the development of hydrocephalus or microcephaly, but one should not panic when one finds that the baby’s head is slightly larger or smaller than normal: this circumstance should first of all, to become a signal for the need for additional examinations to exclude pathological conditions. What are these examinations?

• Absolutely safe and reliable method is neurosonography(ultrasound examination of the brain through a large fontanel). This study will help not only to see changes in the structure of the brain and signs of increased intracranial pressure, but also to assess blood flow through the main vessels of the brain.
• An even more reliable method is nuclear magnetic resonance of the brain (NMR), however, this study for babies is carried out under general anesthesia, therefore, it is carried out only for sufficiently strong indications.
• In this case, consultations of an oculist and a neurosurgeon are also necessary.

"Homework" for parents

In addition, right from birth, you can independently control increase in head circumference, which is one of the main indicators of norm and pathology. How to do it correctly?

• Weekly measure the circumference of the child's head and record the figures obtained in a specially wound notebook.
• When measuring, place the centimeter tape along the most protruding points of the skull (frontal and occipital tubercles).
• To avoid misunderstandings, the measurement should be carried out by the same person.

In addition to the increase in head circumference, you can control increase in chest circumference, which is one of the general anthropometric indicators of a child's development. For this:

• measure your chest circumference weekly on the same day you measure your head circumference;
• Place the measuring tape at the level of the baby's nipple line.

Why do we need such "self-activity"? Carrying out these simple measurements, you will help the doctor to draw up an objective picture of the development of the child, and you yourself can be calm, eliminating the possibility of developing serious diseases (normally, the monthly increase in head circumference for the first three months in a full-term baby should not exceed 2 cm per month; up to a year, the circumference the chest is approximately 1 cm larger than the circumference of the child's head).

Well, now a few words about what can and should be normal, and what is a pathology. I tried to present a conversation on this topic in the form of answers to questions that most often concern young parents.

What determines the shape of the skull of a newborn?

Normally, when a child passes through the birth canal, the bones of the skull overlap each other. Features of the course of the birth process affect the change in the shape of the skull. With a complicated birth act, a sharp finding of the bones of the skull on top of each other may occur, and this will lead to its deformation, which will persist for quite a long time.

The change in the shape of the skull can be expressed in the preservation swelling soft tissues of the head in the place where the child moved forward along the birth canal. The swelling disappears within the first 2-3 days. cephalohematoma(hemorrhage under the periosteum) also changes the shape of the skull. It resolves more slowly than swelling, and this process requires the supervision of specialists (neurologist, surgeon).

The change in the shape of the skull is also associated with age-related features. In a newborn, the skull is elongated in the anterior-posterior direction, and after a few months the transverse size of the skull will increase, and its shape will change.

Some change in the shape and size of the skull can also occur during normal development in premature babies, or when the child is often laid on the same side, or when the child is lying on his back for a long time.

How does a newborn's head grow?

In a newborn, the average head circumference is 35.5 cm (the range of 33.0-37.5 cm is considered normal). The most intensive increase in head circumference in full-term children is observed in the first 3 months - on average, it is 1.5 cm for each month. Then the growth decreases slightly, and by the year the child's head circumference is on average 46.6 cm (normal limits 44.9 - 48.9 cm).

The head circumference of a premature baby increases faster than that of a full-term baby, and the increase is most pronounced during the period of active weight gain, and by the end of the 1st year of life it reaches normal values. The exception is very premature babies.

However, it should always be borne in mind that even with the normal development of the child, there may be physiological deviations from the average values, which are often associated with constitutional features or environmental influences.

What is a fontanel in a child?

Fontanelles are located in the area of ​​​​convergence of the bones of the skull. Front, big , the fontanel is located between the frontal and parietal bones. At birth, it measures from 2.5 to 3.5 cm, then gradually decreases by 6 months and closes at 8-16 months. Rear, small , the fontanel is located between the parietal and occipital bones. It is small and closes by 2-3 months of age.

In pathological processes accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure, the fontanelles close later, and it happens that they open again. The small size of the anterior fontanel may be a variant of the norm if they are not accompanied by a decrease in the circumference of the skull, the rate of its growth, and a delay in psychomotor development.

The above signs do not limit the whole variety of possible deviations in a young child. However, it should be borne in mind that any unusual variant of the child's appearance requires careful examination and monitoring of his growth and development.

When and how should a neurologist examine a child?

The development of a young child is a very sensitive sign of the state of the body. It depends both on hereditary characteristics and on a complex set of social conditions and requires the dynamic supervision of doctors. Do not forget to show your baby to specialists on time - 1, 3, 6, 12 months!

If you invite a specialist to your home, then you need to consider the following:

• examination of the child should be carried out on a changing table or other soft, but not sagging surface;
• the environment should be calm, if possible, eliminate distractions;
• inspection is desirable to be carried out 1.5-2 hours after feeding;
• the air temperature in the room should be about 25 ° C, the lighting should be bright, but not annoying.

In conclusion, I want to remind you once again: do not postpone a visit to a neurologist, remember that the correct assessment of the state of health of a newborn depends on the timeliness of all health-improving, preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at ensuring its normal development, and only a specialist is able to give a correct assessment!