How to care for your baby's fontanelle? When will your baby's fontanelle close?

The fontanelle grows on the baby's head and is the most important part of the baby. So, how to care for the baby's fontanelle?

How to care for your baby's fontanelle

1. Since the baby's fontanelle has not yet ossified and is only protected by a layer of skin and meninges, remember not to press it hard. Do not use pillows that are too hard, such as mung bean pillows or sand pillows, otherwise it will easily cause deformation of the baby's head and fontanelle.

In addition, if you want your baby's head to be perfectly shaped, you should often turn him over and change his sleeping position. Babies like light, so if he is used to sleeping on one side, you can use light on the other side to attract him.

2. During each physical examination, you can ask the doctor about the size of the baby's fontanelle and the growth of the head circumference. If the fontanelle continues to increase and the head circumference is too large, you should suspect the possibility of hydrocephalus, and further head ultrasound or CT examination is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Parents should pay attention to the changes in the baby's fontanelle.

3. Protect your baby's head and pay attention to the furniture at home to avoid sharp corners that may hurt your baby's head. If your baby accidentally scratches his scalp, you should immediately disinfect it with an alcohol cotton ball to prevent infection.

4. When going out in the summer, make sure your baby wears a sun hat to prevent heat from passing through the fontanelle and causing heatstroke; when going out in the winter, you should wear a thicker hat to protect the fontanelle while reducing heat loss.

When does the baby's fontanelle close?

1. Closure time of the posterior fontanelle

There are two fontanelles, the anterior fontanelle and the posterior fontanelle. The posterior fontanelle is located in the occipital region. It is a triangular gap formed by two parietal bones and the edge of the occipital bone. It is smaller in size and sometimes even difficult to feel. Some posterior fontanelles are closed after birth, while others are the size of a fingertip. They are usually closed 2-4 months after birth.

2. Closure time of anterior fontanelle

The anterior fontanelle is located in front of the center of the baby's head. It feels soft to the touch. It is a diamond-shaped space formed by the edges of two frontal bones and two parietal bones. There is only scalp and meninges here, no bones. Six months after the baby is born, the anterior fontanelle gradually ossifies as the skull sutures gradually ossify and the area becomes smaller. By the age of one, it will close and be replaced by bone no later than 18 months. The "skylight" or "fontanelle" that people often talk about mainly refers to the anterior fontanelle. A normal anterior fontanelle should be as flat as the surface of the skull, not raised, tense, or sunken.

Why does the fontanelle jump?

When you touch your baby's fontanelle, you may feel it throbbing, or even see it jumping. This is normal because there are blood vessels under the scalp. When you touch the fontanelle or wash your baby's hair, as long as you are gentle, it will not cause any harm to the child.

The surface of the fontanelle is the scalp, and below it is the meninges, followed by the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. If you gently put your finger on the fontanelle, you can feel it beating. That is because the pressure of the brain and spine changes with the heart beat and blood pressure, which is consistent with the pulse.

Can the baby's fontanelle be washed?

Some parents are even reluctant to wash their baby's hair in order to protect the baby's fontanelle. But many parents may not know that it is sometimes necessary to insist on washing the baby's hair. The probability of cradle cap in newborns is relatively high. Except for the scab caused by seborrheic dermatitis (which looks similar to cradle cap, but does not belong to cradle cap), ordinary cradle cap is just a normal physiological phenomenon. But cradle cap will still affect the beauty of the baby's appearance, so many mothers are also looking for nursing methods to prevent cradle cap. In fact, after the baby is born, insisting on washing the baby's hair is an important means to prevent cradle cap.

Therefore, babies should insist on washing their hair. And the baby's fontanelle can also be washed. But be sure to pay attention to gentle movements when washing your baby's hair. When washing, your fingers should be placed flat on the fontanelle and gently rubbed. Do not press or scratch hard, and do not scratch the fontanelle with hard objects. The shampooing water should not be too hot, use warm water. When washing the baby's hair, because the baby's skin is delicate, it is advisable to use a neutral baby soap with little irritation to avoid irritating the scalp and inducing or aggravating eczema.