Bulging Normal Baby Fontanelle

When your baby stops crying or is upright again this should subside.

Bulging normal baby fontanelle. Your baby s fontanelles should look flat against their head. They shouldn t be bulging or sunken. When a baby s born they typically have several fontanels where bones of their skull haven.

You may never be able to feel or see this one. The fontanel on the back of the head usually disappears by 1 to 2 months of age. What is a bulging fontanel.

Normally a baby s soft spot is 96 percent closed by 2 years of age according to the american family physician if your baby s fontanelle takes longer to close it could be a sign of an underlying condition. However they should return to normal when the infant is in a calm head up position. A bulging fontanelle also might signal internal bleeding or a tumor or mass causing pressure in the head.

When the infant is crying lying down or vomiting the fontanelles may look like they are bulging. A fontanel also called fontanelle is more commonly known as a soft spot. Typically delayed closure of a soft spot is a sign of achondroplasia or hypothyroidism.

There are times when your baby s fontanelles may appear swollen. As long as it goes back to normal once the baby is upright and calm it s ok and not a truly bulging fontanelle. A tense or bulging fontanelle occurs when fluid builds up in the brain or the brain swells causing increased pressure inside the skull.

The fontanelle should be palpated in the upright position and usually it is slightly depressed relative to the bony rim. When an infant sits is held up right then the pressure should decrease and the fontanelle should return to the normal position. If their soft spot is bulging that s a reason to seek care from.