head circumference

[alona811]

Hello,

My son just turned 29 months. While updating his growth chart, I noticed and wonder why his head circumference for the past 10 consecutive months are all the same (19"). Is this normal?

Also, I think he's behind on speech. He can read and spell thirteen letters & three numbers and right now he can talk all 4 word combination.

I'm a little bit worried.

[LRM1021]

What does his pediatrician think>

[alona811]

Well, the last visit (6 months ago) we just talked about lead etc....I didn't even thought about his head circumference. It was when I updated his journal & gather all the info. I just realized how much 10 consecutive months of 19" is alarming to me.

I started reading online, mostly the concern is "big head". I tried emailing the pedia........no reply yet!!!!!!  His Pediatrician? What Pediatrician????? I don't even know if she's really concern to tell you the truth. His last appointment was when I asked his Doctor to get his lead test done. Guess what? it took her a month to get back with me. Aside from the fact that I gave their office a call to let me know about the result was.

I requested another Doctor months ago. His next appt. is when he turned 3.

[greengeeny]

Wow...this is not good.  Your pediatrician should be listening to you, and helping you with concerns, not shunning them.  Is there another clinic in the area that you can go to?  He can spell?  I dont think he is behind on speech!!  I havent heard him in person, but any two year old that is spelling obviously has a great teacher at home helping him learn these things.  I never really payed attention to the circumference of my children's heads, and never really heard the doctor mention it.  Most babies have really large heads in comparison with their bodies.  About two they start to grow into their head, and dont look as awkward.  Maybe the head doesnt grow for a while.  Just an idea.  

[alona811]

Our insurance pays 100% for my children's  medical well being. This Doctor's Office they're going to is the best in our area, with 5 or 6 of them in the office and with an excellent background under their belt. This will be the 4th Doctor he's going to see when he turned 3.

I have a 7 month old baby too. Again, I changed Doctor for him and for the 2 consecutive visits I noticed that this Pediatrician asks a lot of questions, very detailed, giving us lots of info. very warm and very nice. This will be the same Pediatrician I requested for my 29 month old  son. He will be seeing him for the first time, and hoping this is the ONE.

And yes, he can spell and read letters. His speech is not clear though. And I still think his head is small, I've seen a lot of kids his age and theirs are proportional. I'm just  worried.  My husband and I are trying our very best to teach him stuff, we both work and baby sit the kids, we switch are schedules.........it's tough!  We just want the best for our kids............everybody does too for their children, don't you think?

[chigirl29]

My daughter had a small head.  She is very petite and was failure to thrive for a long time--not just on the lowest bar--but far below the lowest bar.

She was breastfed for 21 months and the dr. said those charts were based mainly on white formula fed babies.

My oldest was formula fed and larger; I was unable to nurse her.

My youngest was breastfed and small.

My friends who breastfeed all have small babies.

I am caucasian, but I am petite--same body as before pregnancy and I weigh 105 normally-100 right now.  I am 5'6.  I don't have a huge head.  I was tested as highly intelligent--that is all I will say because I've been attacked for mentioning it on here before.

My husband is short and Asian---obviously he is very intelligent as he is well educated-as am I.

The dr. said we just produce smaller babies than those in the studies.  Even my oldest is still small for her age, but she is within normal ranges--on the low end.

My baby with the small head--her head just began to grow after almost a year of not growing.

She's fine and 2.5 right now.  People still think that she is a baby; she turns 3 in a month.

She is very bright--so I doubt she has any problems--the dr. agrees.

I would find a more responsive doctor than the one you have, and I would get a second opinion to make sure.

However, your child could just have a smaller than average range head--and no permanent deficits. He might even be gifted--you will just have to wait and see.

Dr.s measure head circ. to rule out microencephaly.  You will know if your child has it because his or her face will grow larger while the top and back of the head will not.

You can google it to see images to know what I am talking about.

[chigirl29]

Forgot to add:  My oldest child--the one with the correct head size--she would not speak until she was about 3.5 years old.  I really thought something was wrong with her.  I put her in a half-day preschool program--it took her longer than most children, but she came out of her shell.

The baby with the small head is more advanced in speech at her age than the oldest was--

I'm not sure size is always the best indicator.

As mommies--we always worry though--and that is okay:)

[Kelly68]

My oldest is hearing impaired and wears aids. Due to his hearing impairment, he had a great speech delay. There are certain factors that are considered when checking for speech difficulties. Some children are unable to recognize words, while others simply have difficulties pronouncing them (especially certain sounds - like the letters S & T). I believe that your first step is to find a different pediatrician - one that actually cares about the well being of your child. I don't me to sound rude because I am not trying to be, but I have dealt with a pediatrician like this with my oldest! I kept telling the pediatrician that there was something wrong with his speech and his hearing, but the doctor kept brushing me off - telling me that some kids develop their speech slower while others develop their physical abilities slower! Well, it took 1.5 years before he was properly diagnosed with a hearing impairment!!
I would find a new pediatrician for your child and definitely bring up your concerns. If you can, write down certain sounds or 'impairments' that you feel your child has and bring that list with you to the doctor. Discuss them fully and ask for an evaluation of his speech by a speech therapist. They can determine if he does/doesn't quickly!
I wish you the best of luck! Do not wait because if he does have a speech delay, now is the time to have it worked on with a speech therapist otherwise it does cause more delays later!

[chigirl29]

Kelly68 brings up an EXCELLANT point;get his ears checked.

When my oldest was 5, she had a dip in speaking and she was not doing well in school.  I thought she was ignoring me so I kept punishing her.  Her teacher was punishing her for not putting up her pencil or some other request.

She NEVER ran a fever--never complained of pain.

Guess what--took her to an ENT (ear nose and throat) dr. and she had huge fluid buildups in both ears--she simply could not hear us.

She never even had a real sickness attached to how it happened--just a small cold.

Amazing.  We all felt so bad for punishing her.  It was terrible.