Contents:
- Medical Video: Measuring Infant Head Circumference: An instructional video for healthcare providers
- Why is measuring a baby's head circumference important?
- What is the size of a healthy baby's head circumference?
- What if my baby's head circumference is abnormal?
Medical Video: Measuring Infant Head Circumference: An instructional video for healthcare providers
Have you just given birth to the baby? Of course every parent wants their baby to grow healthy. You can monitor your child to grow and develop into a healthy child by measuring his body weight and length regularly. But, do you know that measuring a baby's head circumference is also important? Here is the reason why measuring a baby's head circumference is very important and what is the average size in a healthy baby.
Why is measuring a baby's head circumference important?
Every body part of your little one will definitely grow and get bigger. Therefore he will increase body length and weight. Similarly, the size of the head of the child is calculated based on the size of the skull bone.
Measurement of head circumference is usually carried out periodically in infants aged 0-3 years. The baby's head circumference will be measured using a special meter circled around the largest part of the baby's head, the area of the forehead to the back of the head.
The baby's head circumference is used to find out whether the baby's brain is growing and developing properly. In a study involving as many as 633 children, it was found that the size of the head circumference could be used as a benchmark for a child's ability level. In the study, it was found that children who have a fairly large head circumference (but still within normal limits) have better thinking skills.
In addition, experts also use this head circumference measurement as the initial detector of microcephaly (head size too small), hydrocephalus (one of the causes of head size too large), and craniosinostosis (skull deformity) in infants. These conditions are health conditions that can endanger the life of the child.
What is the size of a healthy baby's head circumference?
According to the Ministry of Health, newborns ideally have a head circumference of 33-37 centimeters (cm). Your baby's head circumference will continue to grow rapidly during their initial two years.
After that, the baby's head circumference will be measured using a special standard, which you can see on the Health Towards Card (KMS) that you can get when checking your child to the nearest health service.
What if my baby's head circumference is abnormal?
The size of the head circumference can indicate a certain condition experienced by the child. For example, when measured, it turns out your baby's head circumference is smaller than the ideal standard and its development is not as fast as a child his age. So this could indicate that your child has microcephalus, a condition in which the baby's head is small and does not grow properly.
Meanwhile, if the head circumference is known to exceed normal, then your child may suffer from hydrocephalus. However, don't worry first. You can find out the health condition of your little one with certainty by checking it regularly. That way, your child can also immediately get the right treatment if there is a growth problem that occurs.
