A child’s head circumference is small: a condition or a transient?

The circumference of the child’s head may be small, as this condition appears in the child in his first year, so what are the causes of the child’s small head? And when should you worry?

A child’s head circumference is small: a condition or a transient?

The circumference of the child’s head may be small (Microcephaly), but within reasonable limits, or it may be alarmingly smaller than normal, so what are the reasons for what is happening? What are the consequences for the health of the child?

Small head circumference

The doctor usually takes measurements of your baby regularly at every visit after birth, including measuring the head circumference, as the doctor needs to constantly measure the size of the head to ensure the growth and development of the baby’s brain normally, but the doctor often stops taking measurements of the baby’s head circumference after the baby has reached Its second year, as head size begins to change at a relatively slow pace after that.

If the child’s head circumference is smaller than normal, the diagnosis is often that the child has a rare condition called Alopecia, which is known as a small child’s head circumference, a condition in which the child’s head size is smaller than the normal rates for his age.

The reason is often attributed to a defect in the development and growth of the child’s brain inside the skull, a defect that may have started during the development of the fetus in the womb or during the first year of the child’s life after birth.

Intellectual disabilities.

Speech and speaking difficulties.

developmental problems.

short stature

Only in rare cases does alopecia have any negative effect on the development of the child.

The causes of a baby’s head circumference are small

The condition of the head circumference of a small child is an unknown condition to this day, but scientists believe that there are factors that may increase the chances of developing this type of disease. Here is a list of the most important ones:

Infection of the mother with some types of viral diseases during pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, and rubella.

The mother’s consumption of some harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol and drugs of all kinds.

Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy.

Infection with mercury poisoning or any other type of poisoning with other metal materials.

Heredity and genetics. A child is born with conditions such as Down syndrome.

Maternal illness such as gestational diabetes and phenylketonuria has not been treated.

After birth, the child is exposed to serious things that may affect his head and brain, such as lack of oxygen levels, infection, or inflammation in the brain.

Symptoms and complications of a small child’s head circumference

Although it is obvious that the most obvious symptom of this condition is the small size of the child’s head, there are many other symptoms that may appear on the affected child. The condition of the embolism has other additional effects on the child’s health, and these are the most important symptoms and health complications expected to appear on the patient. :

High-pitched, sharp crying.

Problems or weaknesses in some senses, such as hearing loss and vision impairment.

The child’s delay in reaching some of the normal developmental stages for those of his age, such as the delay in speaking, standing, or sitting.

learning difficulties.

Facial expressions or features that do not normally reflect feelings.

short stature

convulsive seizures;

Problems with movement or balance.

difficulty swallowing;

Hyperactivity.

Diagnosing a small child’s head circumference

Alopecia can be diagnosed before birth in some cases, through an ultrasound examination in the third trimester of pregnancy. After birth, these are the medical procedures and examinations that are usually used to diagnose the condition of the head circumference of a young child:

Physical examination.

Measure the child’s head circumference and compare it with known normal rates, and compare it with the measurements of the child’s parents and family.

After diagnosing the injury, the doctor may order the child to undergo additional tests to assess the impact of the condition on the child’s health and mental abilities, such as the following tests: X-rays, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Small head circumference treatment

There is no cure for alopecia, but it is possible to subject the child to treatments that may help keep the symptoms associated with the disease under control as much as possible, and the ability of these treatments to succeed varies according to the severity of the infection in each child, and these treatments may include the following:

the physical treatment.

Speech therapy.

Psychological counseling.

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