6m DS on 91st percentile for head size. Been referred to dr - worried!

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2 months ago DS was on 75th percentile, the HV came a few days ago & now he's on the 91st! Because he's had such a big jump the HV said he needs to go to get checked out at the doctor.

Was a bit concerned at the time but now I'm reading things about hydrocephaly & freaking out!!

My husband's side of the family do have big heads so hoping it's just that but still feeling apprehensive.

Had anyone else's LO had the same percentile jump?

I think there is definitely a 'big head gene'. DD is on the 9th centile for length but her head circumference is on the 50th. All my family have giant heads too. Hats are tricky for us.

I really wouldn't panic, it's so easy to mis-measure. I'm sure the HV just has guidelines to keep to and so is being cautious.

My lovely nephew always had an enormous head. My mum had to unstitch the corner of his school sweatshirts & put poppers in so he could get them over his head. Anyway, he is 16 now, tall, head looks totally normal & he has just got some cracking exam results. So try not to worry - it may just be the way he is growing (head first).

My son had similar, but the Dr was v reassuring and said it was probably just mis-measurement. Funnily enough, my daughter was the opposite - she went from 50th percentile to 9th, and I was worried sick - but again I think it was just a case of mis-measurement. They are both fine now. So I really really wouldn't worry about it too much :)

DD has been told she has a head of varying sizes.

At one point they said she had microcephaly. She hasn't, she actually has a big head.

I really would not worry about it, if he hasn't shown any symptoms.

Apparently its really easy to get all sorts of different measurements when doing head circumference.

There are often really obvious symptoms with hydrocephaly like sunset eyes. Look this up and and you will know immediately if your DS exhibits these symptoms.

DD was born on the 2nd centile with head size and it grew really fast and by 6 weeks she had a really big bonce. It leapt up to 75th centile, then past 80 etc. Now she's nearly 3 and its 50th and looks in proportion. A HV once commented that she has a sticky out forehead which I ignored as my mum does too and its obviously genetic and doesn't look bulging and there is no corresponding flatness or dip on the other side of her head. A doc in a hospital when DD had rotovirus commented on her large head (which I think looked bigger because of her sticky out hair - and recent sudden virus derived weight loss) and I asked her what she wanted to do about it and she said 'oh nothing, just go and see your GP'. The upshot was, she has a big head. All the more room for a nice big brain .

I agree with the others, its really not soemthing to worry about if there are no symptoms. And, if there are large bonces in the family, well there you go!

DS was referred for big head. First thing the paediatrician did was to measure our heads - we've all got biggun's - "Familial macrocephaly". If your son is otherwise well, I wouldn't worry at all. Go to the appointment for the reassurance, but the chances of anything turning up are tiny!

My son has a b+b-small soft spot that was pretty much closed at 6 month's, I always ask tge hv to measure ds's head a couple of times and also I always ask to do it as tge first measurement ( before they weigh and measure him) so he is not too wiggly.

Iyvis easy to get a false measurement and a cm makes a huge difference.

I think they are obliged to refer you if your DC's head measurement has jumped two percentiles. It's usually nothing, and especially if there are no symptoms.

Measuring head circumference is notoriously tricky. We were referred when ds1 was about 4 months old because of his 'big' head and I totally freaked out. The GP wasn't in the slightest bit worried. He's now 13 years old and has a perfectly normal sized head. It's just the HVs being cautious IME.

DS head went off the charts at around 8mo. When he was born it was around 50th, and it is still of the charts it is so big. I also had the same referal and Hv seemed quite outwardly concerned, obv not takin into account my severe anxiety disorder! Anyway, DH has a big head and so does his dad. DS is now two and his 4-6yr old hats no longer fit him! Try not to worry. Hydrocephalus is very rare and as pp have said, displays other obvious symptoms.

I now blame DS's head when hv says he is overweight (75th for weight, 25th for height).

It is very easy to measure wrongly. When DD2 had her 6week check the HV was very very concerned as her head had actually shrunk. I said I thought this was not the case. She re-measured and all was fine!

Well the doc appointment is tomorrow, so we'll see what he says.

I googled 'sunset eyes' and thankfully he doesn't have that, though he does have a very slight squint which I have to get checked out also.

Thanks for reassuring comments though!! I am going to blame my DH's 'gargantuan noggin' gene for the time being to make myself feel better!

Exactly the same thing happened to DS2 when he was a wee one. Equally, I was extremely concerned.

Everything turned out fine. My side f the family have very large noggins. dS2 is now almost 7 and think he will always have a football head just like me!
Try not to worry

Thanks!

The doc wasn't too concerned, but wants to see him again in 4-6 weeks - along with DH. Obviously wants to see for himself how big my DH's head is to ascertain whether the big noggin gene is responsible haha!

I had the same thing with DS2. His head went from the 50th centile to the 91st in a few months - he ended up having a brain scan - the doctor said he had a big head because he had a big brain :D DH and I both have large heads and he's followed suit.