28 Weeks and Baby's Head Is Measuring a Week Ahead
When you have a babe, his or her growth volition be measured by the health visitor or doctor at regular intervals. The measurements will be plotted on 'baby growth charts' to make sure that your kid is on runway.
The growth and weight charts are known as 'centile charts' and are recorded in your baby'southward Personal Kid Health Tape (Blood-red Book). Measurements include weight, length and head circumference.
The World Health Arrangement (WHO) provides the standard 0-4 years growth charts. If baby'southward caput is larger than boilerplate, it tin can be a sign that they accept hydrocephalus or are developing hydrocephalus.
How baby head measurements are taken
To mensurate your baby's head, the health visitor or doc will wrap a tape measure effectually the widest part of your baby's head from above their eyebrows, above their ears, to the back of their head.
The measurements are plotted on a chart – the centiles (lines) on the chart evidence the expected range of weights and heights/lengths. Each centile describes the number of children expected to be below that line, for example 50% below lth centile.
To find your baby's centile for their head circumference, y'all would draw a straight line on the chart lengthways from your baby's head circumference and another downwards from his or her age. If these two lines meet at a centile, information technology means that your baby is in that centile for head circumference.
Where normal growth and development occurs and your babe is growing optimally, the measurements volition be betwixt the two outer lines.
When should my baby'southward caput circumference be measured?
The WHO guidance advises that:
"Head circumference should be measured effectually nascency, at the half-dozen-8 week check upward and at whatever time after that if there are any worries about the child's head growth or development".
Can the measurements indicate a problem?
If your babe's head circumference is measuring too minor or big, information technology tin be a sign of an underlying health condition. Your babe'due south length or meridian should be measured whenever in that location are whatsoever worries nigh weight gain, growth or general wellness.
Caput circumference centiles usually rail within a range of 1 centile space. After the first few weeks, a drop or rise through ii or more centile spaces is unusual (occurs in less than 1% of infants) and should be carefully investigated.
What does it hateful if my babe'south head is measuring large?
If your baby'southward head has grown more than expected, this is chosen macrocephaly. Although it is not always something to worry virtually, it can be associated with sure health conditions, such as hydrocephalus.
A head circumference above the 99.6thursday centile or crossing upward through two centile spaces (for example from the 25th centile line, by the 75th) can exist a cause for concern, especially if there is a continued rising or any other signs or symptoms are present. If this happens, your baby should be referred for further investigations, which could include imaging such as a CT scan or MRI.
Investigations may reveal an underlying health condition which is responsible for aberrant head growth and requires prompt treatment. I case is hydrocephalus; a condition causing excessive fluid in or around the encephalon. Information technology is caused by either:
- A lack of absorption,
- A blockage of flow, or
- Overproduction of the cognitive spinal fluid (CSF) that is made within the ventricles.
The ventricles are the fluid-filled areas of the brain. The CSF disperses from the ventricles around the encephalon and spinal string. A trouble with the organisation can result in a build-up of the CSF that tin can cause the pressure inside the caput to ascension and the head circumference to increase.
In babies, hydrocephalus can cause the bones of their skulls to expand and divide to larger than normal which will exist visible either by looking at the babe, or by measuring their head circumference.
If hydrocephalus occurs, it tin affect your babe'south brain and development. The key to treating is early recognition, proper treatment and infection prevention.
Why is recording head circumference of import?
Regular growth recordings enable your health visitor or GP to tape your baby'due south measurements as they grow to identify how they are growing in comparison to the average growth curve on the chart.
A difference in growth pattern tin indicate a problem, such as hydrocephalus. Your baby'due south health company or GP should investigate any measurements that fall outside the 'normal' range.
Your GP and health visitor have a legal duty of care towards their patients and as such, any failures in care that result in missed or delayed diagnoses/and or treatments tin give rise to a legal claim. An example of a failure in your baby's care could include:
- Not appreciating a disproportionate head size, which if noted, would accept led to head circumference remeasurements and/or referrals for further investigations
Are you lot considering whether you lot need legal support?
We hope the information above gives you lot a more solid understanding of what to expect out for if you lot or your clinician is concerned about hydrocephalus.
If yous accept whatsoever worries and concerns near whether your child has an injury because something went incorrect in the care either you or they received, investigating whether there is a negligence claim tin can assist to find answers. This is a detailed process and if successful, volition provide your child with additional resources to ensure their care, aids and equipment and therapy needs are met for life and a suitably adapted property purchased for them to alive in with you.
Our team at Enable Law volition work with you lot to determine what happened, whether the intendance provided was substandard and, if it was, the specific intendance, therapy and equipment needs your kid is likely to have to make it possible for them to achieve their maximum potential during their life.
Source: https://www.enablelaw.com/news/expert-opinion/your-babys-head-measurements-and-hydrocephalus/
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