Fontanelle Closure Too Early
The posterior fontanel closes first at latest by the age of 8 weeks in a full term baby.
Fontanelle closure too early. Fontanel closure that occurs as early as three months of age can be within normal limits but careful monitoring of head circumference in such cases is essential to exclude a pathologic condition. This is the second most common type of craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis results in an abnormal head shape and problems with normal brain and skull growth.
Their head seems small compared with their body. When one of these sutures closes too early the baby may have a flattened forehead on the side of the skull that closed early anterior plagiocephaly. The early closing forces the head to grow long and narrow instead of wide.
A condition in which the sutures close too early called craniosynostosis has been associated with early fontanelle closure. Brain growth continues giving the head a misshapen appearance. It affects the main suture on the very top of the head.
Craniosynostosis can affect the brain s growth and the shape of the baby s head. The posterior fontanelle generally closes between 6 weeks and 3 months after birth. The baby s eye socket on that side might also be raised up and his or her nose could be pulled toward that side.
Sagittal synostosis scaphocephaly is the most common type. Closes too soon. The soft spot on the top of their head fontanelle disappears before they re 1 year old.
If fontanels close too early or too late that may be a sign of a problem. If the problem is very mild it may not be noticeable until your child is older. These fontanelles typically close by the time your baby is six months old.