Baby head circumference jumping percentiles

[dizzywoman]

Hey

I'm beside myself with worry.

To put it bluntly - my 12 month old has a big head.

3 months ago (at the start of lockdown) I had a doctors appointment as I was concerned at how big it was. She said it was fine because he was developing well and looked (over zoom) well. It had jumped from the 75th to the 99.9th percentile. She didn’t seem concerned.

Well now, (after a photo this weekend) still concerned I had a health visitor measure and it’s gone above this percentile off the chart. It’s 50.5cm at 12 months.

Has anyone had experience of this? I’ve got a face to face appointment tomorrow and I fee sick. He is doing everything he should developmentally and babbles. His forehead does stick out too :(

Just wanted to hear if anyone else’s little one has experienced this?

Thank you

Anyone? ☹️

Not sure tbh, is it big and round or long and thin? Re the bulge, are his soft spots still soft or fused?

Thank you for the reply @MoominKitty

It's big and round. Just been referred to the pediatrician x

Hmm that's not too worrying then, as in the skull shouldn't have fused at least.

I used to baby sit a little boy with a big round head he was fine grew into it pretty quick tbf, but it's good they are looking into it!

Hopefully they will help remove any fears

Definitely keep an eye on this. A friend of mine's daughter had the same problem and it went undiagnosed until she was at primary school. There was an issue with fluid not being drained from the brain and she had to have an serious operation. It should have been done when she was far younger and it did cause some issues with development.

Best of luck x

I had this and was also sick with worry. We had to measure it weekly and see a consultant. He also had an ultrasound scan. But there was nothing wrong in the end - he just has a big head

Do you have a family history of large heads? Any stories about grandad not being able to get hats to fit him, or similar?

DS was born with head on the 95th centile (ouch!). By his six month check (I think, sorry long time ago now) it was OFF THE CHART. Doctor wanted to check on it but I just laughed tbh because our entire family - me, ExH, FIL, both my parents, have absolutely enormous bonces which have caused us no end of hassle all our lives!

Now when I look back at photos of DS as a toddler, his head is a really weird shape - kind of sticking out at the back like an oval on its side, if that makes sense? I did mention it once or twice to ExH at the time but he just shrugged and said his had been like that but that he 'grew into it' LOL.

Sure enough, DS's head now is perfectly normal looking, though still on the large side. But he's been wearing the same hat literally from the age of two until now (11).

Thank you al for the reply's.
We had a doctors appointment and they have referred my baby to the paediatrician because it's jumped so much.y baby's weight has follows the 50th line perfectly since birth.

Yes! His dad has a big head and they had to keep an eye on it when he was a baby. He is my third baby and I've never had an issue before?

When he was born he had thick ridges on his head - again my other baby's didn't have this.

He should catch up, out of interest does he have a double crown?

Yeah, they put ours down to big head genes! Try not to worry as that is probably the reason. Easier said than done I know! I didn't have the issue with my first either.

Thanks guys

@moomen no he doesn't - I'm curious to know why you asked? :)

My dd is tiny (2nd percentile height) but huge head (98th percentile). It did jump from 75th to 98th in her first year. It did worry me a little at the time but she Is developmentally ahead, was a very early talker and seemingly just has a big brain.

Familial big head syndrome is a thing (even if it doesn't sound it), take dad to the appointment of you can in case they want to measure his head.

Look out for swollen sort spot or sunset eyes just in case it is something serious. But water on the brain generally (not always) affects development and can often be seen (by a professional) in facial features by that age.

They will probably either 'watch and wait' or send for an ultrasound, personally I'd push for the later for piece of mind as you need the soft spots soft but it's not that pleasent.

The ridges at birth (in particular) and jumping centiles can just be from a large head being squashed more than normal during birth

@localduck did you get referred?!

@DwellInPossibility
Thank you. That's really informative. My baby doesn't have any of that and is developing great. However his head looks so out of proportion- specially in pictures it's a lot worse.

Yes that's a good idea with taking my husband. He had his head measured recently for a hat and it was X large.

DS also had/has this. He was referred to the paediatrician - as he has frontal bossing (his forehead sticks out) and a ridge on the top of his head too. He had a couple of scans - ultrasound nothing invasive - and in the end they decided he just had a big ( and healthy) brain.

He's 4 now and in age 8 hats! The only issue is getting clothes that comfortably go over his head - he prefers cardigans!

It was a real worry at the time but I think the doctors were just being over cautious? He is very bright though !

Oh and now his hair has grown it looks much less obvious - he is very cute too!

For reference this is DS at 6 months and at 4

@DizzyWoman no she was under the care of a consultant for a different health issue and was reviewed annually for that but they weren't at all concerned about her head size.

@brightbluegentian

Thank you so much for the pictures for reference! It's good to actually see it. :) Yeah my babe looks the same,. The hair really makes a difference doesn't it. My baby doesn't have much hair at all either x

It's important to remember that either everything is fine, or it's serious but easily picked up if the right people look. It helped me to know that it wasn't going to maybe be something.

Hair does really help hide it. and Morrison's do baby clothes up to 36 months, I found I needed shoulder poppers still at that age and most of the supermarkets stop younger.

My DS aged three with his super weird shaped head, and wearing a hat which literally still fits him now (he's 11)!

My son was squeezed out by ventouse so I did wonder if maybe that's why he soared up the charts in the first year. His forehead also sticks out but then so does DH's.

As the size chart is just a range of sizes, I always wondered why they didn't just change the scale - he wasn't the only baby I knew who had gone off the top of it, and that was just along my friends!

I had to cut off one poor penguin jumper once... hoodies are your friend However, you would not look at him and really realise. And he is also v bright

If offered, I would also go for the ultrasound as it was reassuring.

@dizzywoman The little boy I baby sat had a double crown and my sisters boyfriend does too and they both had huge baby heads, no issues connected just lovely round noggins, my sister does too and as a baby her head was much bigger than mine or my brothers, but not huge, I have a tiny head tbf.

@moomen ohhh I see. No - baby only has one.

Just received my letter for referral - it said urgent Paediatric care centre and I should receive a call 7 days from when I saw doctor.

Is that standard because he is a baby? Whilst I'm pleased it's going to be quick hopefully i can't help but worry 😖