Is it normal for a baby to have a large head?

Is it normal for a baby to have a large head?

The medical term for a large head is “macrocephaly.” Most of the time, it isn’t a serious condition, so parents don’t need to worry about it. In rare cases, however, it can be an indication that your baby has other health conditions. Learn more about macrocephaly and what it means.

What if my baby head is growing too fast?

It’s normal for a baby’s head to grow a lot during the first year. But with congenital hydrocephalus, the head may grow faster than the normal rate for a baby’s height and weight. The condition may cause the soft spot (fontanelle) on your baby’s head to feel firm or bulge out.

What causes an abnormally large head?

Causes. Many people with abnormally large heads or large skulls are healthy, but macrocephaly may be pathological. Pathologic macrocephaly may be due to megalencephaly (enlarged brain), hydrocephalus (abnormally increased cerebrospinal fluid), cranial hyperostosis (bone overgrowth), and other conditions.

Does bigger head mean bigger brain?

Even though head size also depends on factors such as the muscularity of the head and thickness of the bone, it’s very likely that a bigger head means a bigger brain. But Hurlburt says people with bigger brains aren’t necessarily smarter than those with smaller ones.

Are babies with big heads smarter?

It found that those people who were born with big heads were significantly more likely to show greater intelligence later in life, evidenced by such achievements as earning a college degree or scoring higher on a verbal-numerical reasoning test.

Can a baby’s head shrink?

Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. During pregnancy, a baby’s head grows because the baby’s brain grows. Microcephaly can occur because a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth, which results in a smaller head size.

Does bigger head mean smarter baby?

What does a big head indicates?

Why do babies have large heads?

You’ll notice two soft areas at the top of your baby’s head where the skull bones haven’t yet grown together. These spots, called fontanels, allow a baby’s relatively large head to move through the narrow birth canal. They also accommodate your baby’s rapidly growing brain during infancy.

Why do I have a big head?

Because having a big head is an inherited trait , according to Healthline, if one or more of a baby’s parents or relatives has a big heads, they might be more likely to have one, too. While the thought of giving birth to a big-headed baby might be terrifying to moms-to-be the world over, having a big head actually might be a good thing.

What does your infant’s head size means?

An infant head size measurement can give physicians an idea about a baby’s brain development. An average, full-term newborn will have a head circumference of about 34 to 35 centimeters (13 3/4 inches). This puts the newborn at the 50th percentile for their head circumference measurement.

What is a big head on a baby?

The younger a baby is, the larger her head will be in proportion to the rest of her body. The average circumference of a newborn baby’s head is about 14 inches (35 centimeters) but the range can be anything from 12y2-15 inches (31.5 – 38 centimeters).