Patient's question:
Guest, I went downstairs to buy some things, and when I came back, I found that the closest one was taking a bath, while the other was watching the baby. The baby kept crying, and when they saw me, they had a very frightened look. After taking a nap in the evening, I noticed a loud snoring sound for several days. I've been questioning it...Doctor's answer:
When a baby is born, there are two soft spots on the top of their head without bone, known medically as "fontanelles." The posterior fontanelle usually closes within 3 months after birth, while the anterior fontanelle takes about 1.5 years to close. The "fontanelles" or "soft spots" people often refer to primarily mean the anterior fontanelle. Some believe that the fontanelles should not be touched, even claiming that touching them can cause speech impairment. As a result, infants may accumulate dirty, black crusts on their fontanelles, which is unsanitary. The fontanelles should be cleaned like other parts of the scalp, but the cleaning should be done gently.Medical advice: The sutures between the cranial bones may overlap at birth, especially in newborns delivered through the birth canal. After birth, as the head circumference decreases, the sutures may slightly separate and then close again by 3-4 months of age. The closure of the anterior fontanelle and sutures reflects the ossification process of the skull. Premature closure can lead to microcephaly, while delayed closure is often associated with rickets, hydrocephalus, or cretinism (hypothyroidism). If there are any issues with early or late closure of the fontanelles or sutures, it is important to seek medical attention promptly.