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An infant's skull is made up of bony plates connected by flexible joints. The posterior ridge of the infant's head is essentially a bony process that forms on the infant's forehead along the posterior line between the frontal bones. What is the cause of the ridge on the back of the baby's head that often makes many parents worry.
1. What is the expression of the ridge behind the infant's head?
An infant's skull is made up of five bony plates connected by four cranial joints. These joints give the baby's skull a chance to change shape as it passes through the mother's birth canal during labor. These cranial sutures will close as the baby gets older, sometimes as early as 3 months old, and the skull will be fully fused by the time your baby is 9 months old.
Some other babies will notice a ridge on the back of an infant's head as they grow older. This is normal. To date, pediatricians are still unclear why some babies develop a ridge on the back of an infant's head, which is completely benign in nature, while others do not. In some other children, the cause of the ridge on the back of the head is premature craniofacial closure. This is a birth defect caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors that can affect a child's brain development in the long run.
2. Signs to recognize the ridge on the back of a newborn's head
Neonatal ridges in the absence of other symptoms are not serious and do not require treatment. However, when other symptoms occur along with the infant's posterior ridge, it may be a sign of premature craniofacial closure.
Premature craniosynostosis is a serious condition because when one of the cranial suture lines on the skull merges prematurely, the brain doesn't have enough space to continue growing. This can lead to increased intracranial pressure and can affect development as the brain gets bigger.
At this time, the signs of the posterior ridge of the head due to premature craniofacial closure include:
Narrow forehead Widening of the back of the head The eyes are close together The head circumference is triangular At this time, in addition to the diagnosis By performing a physical examination through the common articular line and fontanelle, when a ridge is seen on the back of the infant's head, the doctor will thoroughly examine your child's forehead and feel along the position of the ridge. However, to confirm the diagnosis, the pediatrician may recommend an X-ray or CT scan of the brain to simultaneously examine the possibility of internal brain damage.
In summary, the posterior ridge of the infant's head is essentially a bony ridge that forms along the fusion of the forehead after healing. This is a benign finding and does not require treatment. However, it is always best to take your child to see a pediatrician, especially if he or she observes signs that need attention, including a narrow forehead, wide head, and close eyes. These signs may indicate that your child has an early craniofacial defect, and surgery should be considered, if indicated, to prevent future sequelae of brain damage.
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