What is a bulging fontanel?

A fontanel, also called fontanelle, is more than unremarkably known as a soft spot. When a infant'southward born, they typically have several fontanels where bones of their skull oasis't fused yet. A newborn has fontanels on the top, back, and sides of their head.

Usually, only the anterior fontanel, which is on the top of the head toward the front end, can be seen and felt. This is the i chosen the soft spot. In some babies, the posterior fontanel, which is plant toward the back of the caput, can also exist felt, though it's much smaller.

It's important for new parents to understand what a fontanel looks and feels like. A baby's soft spot should feel relatively soft and curve inward very slightly.

Changes in texture or appearance can be a sign of serious health problems. Parents should watch for soft spots that are curved outward on their baby's head and feel very firm. This is known equally a bulging fontanel and may exist a sign of encephalon swelling or fluid buildup in the brain.

A bulging fontanel is an emergency. It can exist a sign of force per unit area rising inside the skull which may result in damage to the infant's developing brain. If your child is experiencing this symptom, seek medical attention immediately.

What are the causes of a bulging fontanel?

Some of the well-nigh common causes of a bulging fontanel are:

  • encephalitis, which is a brain inflammation caused past a viral or bacterial infection
  • hydrocephalus, which is backlog brain fluid that'south present at birth or occurs from injury or infection
  • meningitis, which is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord tissue that results from a viral or bacterial infection
  • hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which is brain swelling and damage that occurs when your baby's brain is deprived of oxygen for a long menstruation
  • intracranial hemorrhaging, which is haemorrhage in the brain
  • head trauma

Other Causes

A bulging fontanel may be attributed to additional conditions, along with numerous others, as possible causes:

  • a encephalon tumor or abscess
  • Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection you get from an infected tick
  • Addison's disease, which is a condition in which your adrenal glands don't make enough hormones for your torso to part properly
  • congestive heart failure, which is when blood and fluid buildup in parts of your body because your heart can't pump enough blood
  • leukemia, which is cancer of the white blood cells
  • an electrolyte disturbance, which is when your blood's levels of certain chemicals, such as sodium and potassium, are out of remainder
  • hyperthyroidism, which is when your thyroid makes more hormones than you lot need
  • maple syrup urine illness, which occurs when your body can't properly intermission down proteins
  • anemia, which is a condition in which your blood doesn't incorporate plenty oxygen

In most cases of these weather condition, a baby would take other symptoms in improver to a bulging fontanel and would most likely be sick.

Also, it would exist very uncommon, if non rare, for whatever of these — except brain tumor or abscess — to cause a bulging fontanel, either considering the status is rare in infancy or because the condition happens in infancy, but rarely causes a jutting fontanel.

When should I seek medical care?

In that location are several factors that can make a soft spot appear to be bulging when in reality in that location's no danger. Common things babies do such as lying downwardly, airsickness, or crying can exist mistaken for your baby having a bulging fontanel.

To determine whether your infant actually has a bulging fontanel, starting time try to calm them down, and then position them so their head is upright. If you lot succeed in doing this and the soft spot still appears to be jutting, seek medical attention for your kid immediately.

Don't wait to brand a doctor'due south appointment. Become to the nearest emergency room. This is especially crucial if your infant has a fever or seems extremely sleepy.

If you don't already take a pediatrician, the Healthline FindCare tool can aid you detect one in your surface area.

What can happen if a bulging fontanel is not treated?

A jutting soft spot tin be a sign of several very serious conditions that can fifty-fifty be life-threatening. For instance, encephalitis, a mutual cause of bulging fontanels, tin lead to permanent brain damage or fifty-fifty expiry in severe cases.

What to expect at the hospital

Because there tin can be many explanations for these symptoms, your dr. will collect as much data equally possible nearly your child's condition.

Your doctor volition perform a physical examination of your infant and will likely enquire:

  • about your baby's medical history and whatever medications
  • whether the bulge is constant or appears normal at times
  • when you offset noticed the abnormal appearance of the soft spot

Exist sure to tell your doctor about any other symptoms you've observed, including:

  • marked drowsiness
  • an elevated temperature
  • irritability beyond what's normal for your kid

Depending on the answers you provide and other symptoms that may exist nowadays, your doctor may order one or more than tests, such every bit an MRI or CT scan, to make a diagnosis.

Lumbar puncture, or a spinal tap, may too be performed. This involves taking a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from your infant'south lower spine to bank check for disease and infection in their nervous arrangement.

Handling will depend on the underlying cause of your babe's symptoms.

Is at that place whatsoever manner to prevent a bulging fontanel?

There's no definite way to preclude fontanels from bulging. This is by and large because the symptom has so many potential causes.

With available information, parents and other caregivers can improve sympathize this symptom. For example, it tin can assist them distinguish between a soft spot that temporarily appears to be bulging and one that'southward protruding.

Still, though data is available, it'due south important for parents and other caregivers to contact their child'south doctor if they have questions or concerns almost bulging fontanel.

Takeaway

A jutting fontanel is a medical emergency that requires a hospital visit. Once there, your md can decide the potential causes as well as appropriate treatment measures.

While a bulging fontanel has specific characteristics, phone call your child'due south pediatrician if you have any doubts.