Your baby: The soft spot
SO you have just brought home your newborn and on examination, you feel a soft spot on the top of the baby’s head. But don’t be worried, all babies are born with these.
A baby’s skull consists of several bones, and the spaces between the bones where they should fuse together are soft spots called fontanels — one is at the front of the head and a smaller one slightly to the back.
Dr Debra Parkinson, paediatrician at The Paediaric Place, Burlington Avenue, St Andrew, said at birth the baby’s skull bones are not joined and will eventually join together with time.
“As a result of that, there are soft spots called fontanels at those points where the skull bones have not yet fused together,” she said. “This allows for brain growth.”
You might be wondering how you should manage your baby’s soft spot, but Dr Parkinson said there is no specific care needed in order to manage it. You can touch it — gently of course — and hold the baby’s head so that no damage is done to the head itself. Regardless of how delicate the baby’s soft spot might seem, it is protected by a thick fibrous layer which prevents damage to the baby’s brain.
Eventually the skull bones will develop enough minerals, and Dr Parkinson says the bones will fuse on their own when the child is about 18 months old. If you notice that the soft spot is not closing, you should seek medical assistance as to why it is taking so long for your child’s bones to fuse.
“There are several possibilities but it could be a problem with the bones itself or something within the skull, like extra fluid, that’s preventing closure,” Dr Parkinson said.
In the case of premature closure, your baby may have developed Craniosynostosis — a birth defect in which the fibrous joints holding the baby’s skull close too soon. This can lead to abnormal head shape and impede brain development, Dr Parkinson added.
Early detection and treatment are vital. Your baby will have routine well-baby check-ups after birth where the doctor will feel the soft spot and assess if the baby is developing as he or she should.
Normally, the fontanels are slightly carved inwards but if you notice and feel a bulge while at home, seek the advice of your paediatrician immediately.
Another worrying concern about the fontanels that parents might have is the pulse felt in the soft spot. Dr Parkinson said it is absolutely normal — there are blood vessels there that cause the pulsation. Your baby’s brain needs blood supply in order to boost brain growth and development.
