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Avatar universal

6 month old - large head

I have a friend who has a 6 month old baby girl who went for a checkup and the doctor is concerned about the babys head circumference.  The baby's head has grown 3 cm in the matter of a month, she was already way over the normal percentile and it ha grown more!  The baby weighs 16 pounds.  Also, I have noticed she is balding, but not like when a baby looses baby hair, the balding characterictis look like a chemotherapy patient or an elderly person.  Does this make sense?  The doctor told her if the baby's head grows more within the next month, they will do some scans of her head.  I just wanted some ideas as to what this might be, if there is a problem, so she can look into some things the next time she sees the doctor.  Also I have noticed the baby looks NOTHING like the mother or father and I wonder if her characteritics could be attributed to a certerin disorder or syndrome.  She has small, kind of almond shaped eyes and huge cheeks (ut she does not have Down Syndrome characteristics).  But she is a happy baby and always smiles and is very strong and active for a 6 month old and seems to focus on objects and she rolls over.  Any comments or ideas are welcome.
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Avatar universal
hi new call me
Helpful - 0
1578363 tn?1296253307
they have been monitoring his head size since about 4 months old. His last Dr visit yesterday stated that his head is in the 97% for his age, they have referred us to a neuro surgen. I am very concerned that they waited this long to allow it to reach 97%, after doing scans on him at 5 months and then said " we will monitor him".  The ped, said she thinks could be some form of spina bifida, with hydroplexus (spelling?) but I'm not sure what that means. My son is developmentally delayed in that, he is just now doing things that he should have done around 5 months old. He is not crawling, not rolling over ( except from one side to the other) not talking only making sounds, so the neursurgen called today and is setting up an appointment for next week in which I guess they will discuss with us what's next, which I feel with be the shunt process.

Does the water on the brain necessarily mean he has spina bifida?
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Avatar universal
Are you concerned about one of your children?
My son is 4 and he is dev. delayed. This is one of the reasons for the concern in his head growth and rather large head. Unfortuantely because of half assed pediatricians it wasnt brought to my attention by someone until 8 months ago, a dev. specialist. She had asked me for a record of his measurements from birth. Also the ped. he had wasnt even taking all of them. This is VERY important and my advie to new parents would be to make sure you get these and keep track on your own, caus emost peds. dont.
If anything was wrong at the time it resolved itself. He started speech and OT when he was about 20 months old.  He is catching up but still has some problems with speech and fine motor skills. He also has a hard time paying attention and can be impulsive. He is in special needs preschool and gets speech every week at home.

But he is also a happy little boy who is not afraid of new situations and trying to make friends. He was potty trained at 26 months old and has done awesome with that. He defintley loves gross motor stuff and thrives with playing soccer and those types of activities. He says things that to me I find to be little miracles everyday. He hasnt been easy thats for sure but I wouldnt trade him and all the challenges he has given us for the world.
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Avatar universal
Also with the head growth they did say that it was also in addition to IF something else was wrong, Magrocephaly. Since my spouse and I both have large heads and they do run in the family.
My sister was thought to have had a very large head when she was young and there was some concern which turned out to be nothing.
My Dads head is comparable to Newt Gingrich.

So I will reitarate its not always the head size that matters it is when there is a RAPID GROWTH SPURT that is cause for concern.
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164559 tn?1233708018
How old is he know and has there been any problems?
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Avatar universal
With his head circumfrence it was simply genetics, Magrocephely
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164559 tn?1233708018
What was the diagnosis for you son?
Helpful - 0
127529 tn?1331840780
My son has hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and at it's worst his head was growing a cm per week. I think 4 more weeks is too long to wait for scans, they should be monitoring this little girl weekly with such rapid head growth, my son had scans twice per week until it was decided to put in a shunt. Hydrocephalus can afffect the eyes as the pressure in the brain increases, you tend to see more of the white of the eye above the pupil, the child will look like she is looking downwards. I don't mean to scare you but if it is hydrocephalus a diagnosis is needed pretty quickly, left unchecked it can cause drowsiness, sickness and worse case; fits and brain damage. I do hope that everything turns out to be okay.
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Avatar universal
Your right about the genetics in having a large or small head and those are the correct terms.

But when there is a rapid growth spurt there is cause for concern. We went thru this with my son.



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Avatar universal
This sounds like Prader-Willi Syndrome.
Helpful - 0
13167 tn?1327194124
Prader-Willi children are very floppy.  This baby is described as strong and active,  which would rule out Prader-Willi.
Helpful - 0
13167 tn?1327194124
The term for large head is "macrocephaly",  or "macrocephalic".  It can be caused by a lot of things,  one of which is just the child has a big head due to genetics.  

You could probably search around the net for that term - it sounds promising that she seems strong and developmentally on target.  

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Could be "water on the brain" there is a medcial term but I cant spell it out I think hydrocephelus.
They have related autism sometimes to having a huge head growth spurt.
The doctor should have brought up all the possibilites it could be with them. If he didnt they need to ask ALOT of questions.
Helpful - 0
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