WHAT DOES 50 CM HEAD MEASUREMENT MEANS?

[AVADENE45]

MY PEDIATRICIAN TOLD ME ON MY SONS 18 MONTHS VISIT THAT HIS HEAD SIZE IS 50. SHOULD I BE CONCERN? HIS WT IS 23 1/2 AND HT IS 31 1/2.  HE DOES NOT REPEAT WORDS BUT HE UNDERSTAND COMMANDS.

[bolalede]

A related discussion, MRS was started.

[shashibokaro]

A related discussion, HEAD was started.

[jhnangel]

I too have a 18 month old son who's head size is 49 1/2.  He too is 23 pounds and 30 1/2 in tall.  He is a little bit slower at development than most children his age, but according to the Dr's he's seen-this is normal.  Delayed development is a characterisitc of a large head they say.  If you would have asked me this question a year ago-my answer would have been much different.  My little guy has been through the ringer with medical testing, etc.  It all started with him having a "larger than normal" head size at his 4 month check up.  He had already had surgery twice by this age on his eyelid to have a hemangioma (strawberry birthmark) removed.  He was sent for an MRI and it was discovered he had "mild hydrocephalus (water on the brain)/enlarged ventricles".  We were then referred to a neurologists who is two hours from our home.  He was evaluated and we were told if his head got any larger (even a CM) then he would have to have a shunt placed in his head.  We returned to this dr every two weeks for brain ultrasounds.  This went on for three months until he was finally released and referred to genetics Dr.  After many tests with no findings-my husband and I decided enough was enough.  What were we going to do anyway if they did find something wrong with our little baby?  Absolutely nothing.  We spent many unnecessary sleepless nights over this worrying and wondering what would happen or what to do next until we just finally cancelled all Dr visits and decided to not put our little guy through anymore pain.  This poor child has had more tests done in his short little life than I have my entire life.  He's perfectly fine now as far as I care.  The pediatrician says he's just a little guy and will catch up sooner or later.  He also has the third child syndrome when he has siblings to do everything for him-why does he have to make the effort?  

Anyway-sorry to be so long winded but please, please don't worry about this.  I've already been down this road and it's not worth it.  As long as your child does not have any other underlying medical symptoms and seems to be developing fine in every other area-I wouldn't worry.  I just say my baby needs a bigger head for his big brain he's gonna have one day.

Hope this eased your mind a bit.

[D.Grimes]

My daughter is 6 years old and her head size has always been in the 90%.  Her height and weight are in the 50%.  Her doctors have all mentioned that she has a big head but that there is nothing to worry about and they have been right.  She is developing well and doing well in school.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

For a boy who is 18 months old, a head circumference of 50 cm places him at approximately the 90%. This means that, on average, for every 100 boys his age, his head circumference would be greater than 90 of the 100 children. His height and weight place him approximately at the 27% and 24% respectively. There is no indication, based on these measurements, that anything is amiss. I'm assuming the pediatrician did not note any cause for concern. Is that correct?