The Reason behind Sunken Fontanel in Infants.
A lady shared a post on Instagram, and it was a picture of a baby whose head shape looked so weird, she said it was her friend's baby and she was so worried about the child. But while so many people criticized her for bringing such a vulnerable case out on social media, I was more worried about what it meant because I had never seen such before.
I started to read several things about what could make such a cute child come up with such a head shape, and through my findings, I found out it was a condition called sunken fontanel, shortly I will be sharing with you the reason behind sunken fontanel and the situations that surrounds it.
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When a baby is born, he or she comes with several fontanels usually known as soft spots, these soft spots provide the skull with the required flexibility to pass through the birth canal, and this flexibility allows the brain and skull of the baby to grow well during the first year of life. In newborn babies, these said soft spots are located on the top, the back as well as the sides of the head.
Age is a strongly dependent factor when it comes to soft spots, the fontanel located at the back of the head will usually disappear within 1-2 months, this one may never be seen or felt, while the one on top of the head will remain present until the baby becomes 7-19 months of age. The soft spots of the baby need to be relatively curved and firm slightly inward, but when there is a noticeable inward curve, we have a case of SUNKEN FONTANEL.
A case of sunken fontanel requires swift medical attention, and it is usually easy to treat. There are several reasons why a child may come up with this, some of them include;
Kwashiorkor: A severe form of malnutrition caused by the lack of protein.
Toxic megacolon: A rare, life-threatening widening of the large intestine, often a complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention.
Diabetes Insipidus: This is not a form of diabetes, it is rather a rare condition that happens when your kidney becomes unable to conserve water.
Failure to thrive: A child is considered a failure to thrive when he or she fails to meet the normal standard of growth.
Dehydration: Dehydration happens when the body loses more fluid than the amount consumed, usually as a result of excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, frequent urination, and requires medical attention. Dehydration is usually the primary cause of sunken fontanel.
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Sunken fontanel could also be a sign of malnutrition, malnutrition is a result of calorie deficit or an underlying condition like malabsorption syndrome. When an infant does not have sufficient nutrition, signs like fatigue, being underweight, dry inelastic skin, and dry hair that easily falls out.
Dehydration in children ranges from mild to severe. A sunken fontanel could be a sign of dehydration, other symptoms include; dry and cool skin, rapid heart rate and breathing, sunken eyes, lack of tears while crying, rapid breathing and heart rate, and infrequent urination.
When the baby is taken to the hospital, a physical examination will be carried out, which includes feeling and looking at the area affected, skin elasticity or turgor of the baby will also be checked.
When the result is poor elasticity, it could be an indication of low fluid levels, the amount of moisture in the mouth and eyes can provide clues about the hydration level of the baby.
If the case of sunken fontanel is a result of dehydration, the doctors will administer infant fluids orally to prompt rehydration. If the infant has been vomiting, the doctors will administer fluids into the bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) line.
A baby that has sunken fontanel should be given swift medical attention, this isn't one of those conditions that you try to treat on your own or at home. The symptoms felt by the baby will also be questioned, when questions are asked, parents must provide as much information as they can remember.
For Further Studies.
healthline.com/health/treatment
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.
Pregnant women should be careful when pregnant, and be sure to be in good health, as anything can affect the health of the unborn child. Pregnant women should eat good food that is well balanced to prevent children from having conditions that can will put both the child and parents in pain.
You are right, pregnancy is a whole complex process and mothers need to be careful of what they eat at the time.