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Functional Fontanels
Two Pediatricians Examine the Ins and Outs of Soft Spots
By Renee Roberson
"The anterior is about an inch around and diamond-shaped," Dr. Shu says. "The posterior is big enough for you to fit a fingertip in (about 1/4 inch)."
"Size can vary a bit, so I would emphasize that the numbers Dr. Shu gave are average, and anything smaller/bigger should be checked out by a pediatrician," Dr. Jana says. " [Other sizes] are likely to be normal, but we would want to catch those that are too small or closing too soon as well as those that are too big, because they may have an underlying cause that needs to be addressed.
"The soft spots are protected by a thick fibrous tissue underneath the scalp," Dr. Shu says. "There is no need to be overly careful when shampooing because of the protective layer. I've never heard of a soft spot injury in my 15 years working in pediatrics."
"Parents need not worry about injuring their infant's soft spot while doing any of the routine sorts of daily activities," Dr. Jana says. "Injury is theoretically possible, but again, as Dr. Shu said, I have never seen one and wouldn't expect it to occur except under either extremely rare circumstances or those not associated with normal infant interaction."
"No," Dr. Shu says. "This may be a sign of a medical problem such as hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels). If a parent still notices open soft spts around a year of age, bring it to your pediatrician's attention. The soft spot closes by filling in with bone growth."
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