Evolution of Anterior Fontanel Size in Normal Infants in the First Year of Life

Abstract

To analyze cranial growth and size of anterior fontanel during the first year of life, we undertook a cohort study with a sample of 33 infants assessed at birth and reexamined at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12 months. Examination included assessment of head circumference, anterior fontanel size, anteroposterior distance, biauricular distance, and cephalic index. All infants were neurologically normal. Mean size of the anterior fontanel at birth was 1.77 cm(2) and, in disagreement with literature data, fontanel size increased up to 2 months of age; fontanel was closed at 1 year for 27.3% of infants. Significant differences in cranial anthropometry were not found in relation to method of delivery (vaginal or cesarean section), gender and gestational age. Our results indicate the need to reevaluate anthropometric examination data and to establish patterns of normality, particularly for miscegenated populations that have not been widely investigated.

A retrospective cross-sectional study of delayed closure of anterior fontanelle in healthy infants and its associated factors

“…Unlike most of the previous relevant studies, our research extended the observation beyond 24 months, and showed that 99.87% of infants achieved AF closure before 36 months, which may help ll this gap in understanding AF development. The AFDC incidence rate of 7.71% in healthy infants is consistent with results from several other studies ranging from 4% to 7% [8,10,11], where the infants were reported to experience AF closure after 24 months, and some even beyond 36 months. As the AFDC infants in this study were considered healthy and within normal ranges for physical growth and development, it is concluded that this proportion of infants can be interpreted as normal variants within AF development and not related to any diseases.…”

“…In the study, infants of the AFDC group was de ned as those with AF closure after 24 months in concordance to previous studies [7][8][9], while all others with AF closure earlier than 24 months were placed in the AFNC group.…”

Anterior fontanelle size among term neonates on the first day of life born at University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

“…In the present study, a significant positive correlation was found between AF size and birth weight (p<0.05). Our finding is strongly supported by the study conducted among Brazil, Hispanic and Switzerland neonates (28,29,33). However, reports from Iranian (6) and Indian Nagpur (5) showed a significant negative correlation between AF size and birth weight.…”

A Retrospective Cohort Study of Anterior Fontanelle Delayed Closure in Healthy Infants and Its Associated Factors

“…All infants were born between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 and followed for three years in the Child Health Department of the West China Second Hospital at Sichuan University. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) Imaging examination during maternal pregnancy indicating abnormal brain development, such as hydrocephalus; (2) Head injury or scalp hematoma at birth; (3) Intracranial diseases, such as According to previous studies, more than 90% of children have AF closure before 24 months [7][8][9]. Given this, we used AF closure at 24 months as the demarcation for infants with normal closure of the AF (AFNC) and those with delayed closure of the AF (AFDC).…”