Normal vs sunken fontanelle
- when should babies soft spot close
- when should babys soft spot close up
- when does babies soft spot close
- when do babies soft spot close
When to worry about baby's soft spot!
Why is my baby soft spot not pulsating
Newborn babies have soft spots on their heads, known as fontanelles, which are areas where the skull bones have not yet fused together. There are two fontanelles: the anterior fontanelle, which is at the top of the baby's head, and the posterior fontanelle, which is at the back of the head.
These soft spots are important for the baby's brain and skull development, allowing the head to narrow during birth and providing room for the brain to grow rapidly in the first years of life. The fontanelles typically close within the first two years of a baby's life, with the posterior fontanelle closing by around 2 to 3 months and the anterior fontanelle closing between 4 and 26 months, typically around 18 months.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of soft spots on a newborn's head | 2 |
| Larger soft spot name | Anterior fontanelle |
| Smaller soft spot name | Posterior fontanelle |
| Larger soft spot location | Front of the head |
| Smaller soft spot location | Back of the head |
| Larger soft spot closure time | Between 6 and 18 months |
| Smaller soft spot closure time | Between 2 and 3 months
|