Head Sizes and Shapes Flashcards
What are examples of head size problems?
- Macrocephaly
- Too large
- Microcephaly
- Too small
What are the medical terms for:
- too large head
- too small head
- Macrocephaly
- Too large
- Microcephaly
- Too small
What can head shape indicate?
Head shape can also be benign or indicate underlying problems
What is:
- A
- B
- C
A - frontal bones
B - anterior fontanelle
C - posterior fontanelle
What is:
- D
- E
- F
D - occipital bone
E - lambdoid suture
F - parietal bones
What is:
- G
- H
G - coronal sutures
H - metopic suture
What is the order of how the fontanelles close?
- At birth, bones of skull are not fused together
- Posterior fontanelle closes 2-3 months after birth
- Anterior fontanelle closes between 1-3 years of age
How is head size measures?
- Occipitofrontal circumference
- Routine between birth and 3 years
- Plotted on head size chart
What is microcephaly?
Is a head size 2SD below the mean
What does microcephaly usually indicate?
Usually indicates small brain:
- Microanencephaly
What is the medical termf for small brain?
- Microanencephaly
What are important things to consider about microcephaly for diagnosis?
- Prenatal or post natal onset
- Is it crossing centiles downwards
- Timing of onset may be clue
Microcephaly - aetiology
- Antenatal
- Postnatal
- Genetic
- Environment
What is macrocephaly?
A head size 2SD above the mean
What are other physical abnormalities associated with macrocephaly?
- Facial features
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Bony deformities
What are some common head shape problems?
- Plagiocephaly
- “Flat head’
- Brachycephaly
- “Short head or flat at back”
- Scaphocephaly
- “Boat shaped skull”
- Craniosynostosis
- Sutures fused too early
