Baby's small head circumference (9%)

[THILLSON78]

Hi, my DS is 9 months old and has a 9th percentile head circumference, whereas he's on the 91st for his length and between 25th and 50th for weight. He had his HV check yesterday, and she seemed happy with his development. She agreed DS's head is on the small side though, but didn't seem worried and said nothing could be done about it anyway. He's pretty bang on developmentally (good motor skills, babbling, commando crawling, eating solids, physically on track in all areas, etc.), but yes - guess what, I did the wrong thing and Googled it, so now I'm worrying myself sick that his brain isn't developing properly! (He's only just 'learnt' how to shake a rattle properly...). If someone with an older child could please send just get on here and put my mind at rest to say 'Yes, my child was the same, there's no need to panic, and it turned out fine', I'd be very grateful! (Any takers, please??).

Do you have a small head? Does his Dad? These things are often family traits OP....my head is enormous and as a result so are my DDs!

When DDs were small I remember the HV re-measuring with a worried expression! Mine are 7 and 11 and fine!

Your baby is developing bang on...as he should. Try not to think about it any more. Oh and as for the rattle....neither of mine shook them ever!

Ds had a small head, and was monitored for a while. As he stayed on the same centile line they weren't really worried. And it's been totally fine.

DS is similar to yours - very tall, little head. He is 13 now and developmentally fine - bright, articulate etc - just not very big in the bonce department. He is tall and scrawny and would look like a lollipop if he had a bigger head, so in proportion.

Ds1 had a small head. from around 2 months and growth had slowed right down for a while and we were referred to hospital where it was monitored for a few months (I did the whole google thing and convinced myself it was craniosynotosis!). Turned out to be a false alarm and my son just has a dinky head (like me I think!). He's 12 years and no problems.

Does it run in the family?
My family all have small heads - my winter hat says 7-12 years in it .
My parents and siblings are the same (we are all above average height, incidentally.)
Not everyone is bang on the average, or on the same centile line for every characteristic and of course you can be tall with a small head, or short with a big head, tall and heavy, tall and light, short and heavy, etc etc.
Your DS's head circumference is within normal limits, I really wouldn't worry.

My DD has hydrocephalus which was picked up by her head swelling to 116th percentile whilst she was only on 13th percentile for weight.
If it was causing any problems, believe me you would know.
I'd possibly get your GP to measure your DS next time you see them to reassure you, but I really wouldn't worry.

What centile (line) was the head circumference on when he was tiny? Because if that was also (within a line either side of) the 9th, then it gives enormous reassurance that there's nothing to worry about. What would make me worry would be if, say, the head circumference used to be on the 91st line, and now is on the 9th line....and even then, normal mile stones is a rather good sign.

Thank you all so much for all your replies! There are some brilliant answers, this is just what I needed to hear! In answer to your questions, I've always considered myself to have a small head and hubby to have a big head, but when I measured them both (yes, I'm that neurotic, haha), both turned out to be 'average'. DS's head has always been on small size (following close to 9% line since birth, even picked up by 20 Week Anomaly Scan as being on 5% line), but when I look at him now looks slightly pointy headed, so maybe he's just got a tall head. I'm feeling a lot more reassured now though. What we worry about as first time mothers, eh? Thanks again everyone xxx