What are the causes of the child's apparent swelling in the head? What are the possible side effects and treatments? Learn about all that and more through this article.
What exactly is the condition that might be indicated by the development of a swelling in the child's head? In some cases, it might be a normal occurrence that doesn't warrant any concern.
The appearance of a bulge in the child's head
A lump, edoema, lump, or bump that appears on the infant's scalp soon after birth is referred to as a bulge in the baby's head.
Cephalohematomas, which indicate scalp bleeding, may be the source of this swelling.
Reasons for the appearance of swelling in the child's head
Swelling of the baby's head occurs for several reasons, including:
- excessive head pressure during labour and delivery. This is caused by pressure from the birth canal itself, as during a normal delivery the baby is pushed through the birth canal.
- As the foetus exits the birth canal, which is extremely narrow, the first birth increases the likelihood of this swelling happening.
- During childbirth, the uterus or vaginal wall may exert pressure on the baby's head.
- Caesarean section, in which the baby's head is compressed prior to the procedure.
- birthing a baby with a baby that is so heavy makes it challenging.
- The birth of the child after the normal due date.
- There wasn't enough amniotic fluid because the membranes enclosing the developing child in the womb prematurely ruptured.
Symptoms of the appearance of swelling in the head of the child
The child's head shows several symptoms when he has swelling, such as:
- A clear swelling or swelling in the middle of the head where the bones meet immediately after birth.
- Bruises on the scalp, and bruises can appear on the face of the child in some cases.
- Swelling of the scalp that appears within days of birth if the baby has a hematoma.
- The sensitivity of the area to touch in the event of a skull fracture .
- Molding, that is, the appearance of a pointed shape in the scalp of the child, in the event that the soft bony pieces in the skull overlap at the suture line.
Risk factors related to the appearance of swelling in the child's head
Risk factors include the following:
- Low amount of amniotic fluid .
- Pregnant women suffer from Braxton Hicks contractions, or what is known as false labor pains.
- Vacuum or forceps delivery.
- Caesarean delivery.
Treatments used when a swelling appears in the child's head
The swelling that appears in the baby’s head is usually treated without the need for any intervention within 2-6 weeks after birth, and in serious cases that require treatment, the possible treatments include the following:
- Medications and surgery, if a hematoma is the cause of the swelling.
- Skull shaping helmet: In this method, the child is fitted with a helmet that has a specific shape and must wear it for 18 to 20 hours per day until the head shape is adjusted.
Complications of the appearance of swelling in the child's head
Although it does occasionally go away without any complications, this condition may cause the child to experience a number of complications, most notably:
1. Alopecia areata
Alopecia and hair loss are caused by the surrounding tissues dying as a result of the scalp's intense pressure. It is worth mentioning here that most of the time hair can grow normally, and in other cases hair loss can be a permanent problem for the child.
2. Jaundice
Due to the destruction of red blood cells and the buildup of bilirubin, this condition causes the child's skin to turn yellow and the whites of their eyes to turn yellow. It may also cause bruises to appear.
If severe jaundice is not treated, it can result in a number of problems, such as:
- hearing loss.
- Abnormal tooth enamel development.
- Brain damage.
- Implicit cerebral palsy, which is a type of movement disorder.
- Always look up.
- Death.
3. Complications of brain tumors
The following issues arise, however, if brain tumours are to blame for the child's head swelling:
- Anemia.
- infection.
- Skull fracture.
- Hardening of the bumps.
- jaundice _