My daughter had her one year well child check today and the doctor wants to check her head circumference in three months because her head is apparently not growing as it should. What could this mean? She is meeting all of her milestones, but it still bothers me. I am hoping someone can put my mind at ease.
My daughter is 21/2 and has always had a small head circumference. She is very bright, ad her head is proportionate tp her body. Try not worry too much, my pediatrician thinks that it is probably just a genetic trait.
S.,
In my opinion, the head measurement is kind of silly. They told me the same thing with my 1st, and we had to go in for more measurements. It was fine. I think that it depends on who is doing the measurement more than anything, it is so subjective!
I'm sure she's fine, and I wouldn't worry much about it.
Good luck.
J.
My dd is 5 yo now and I was told the same thing. They said they just wanted to watch it and measured her head a few extra times as she grew and it turned out fine. I think their little body parts just dont all grow at the same pace and sometimes can be out of proportion. I would not be too worried about it. I hope it turns out to be nothing.
S.
My son was at the other end of the spectrum: he had a big head. I think he finally grew into it around age 3! LoL I wouldn't worry-- her head will eventually catch up with the rest of her body. I don't think everything always grows at the same rate =)
My oldest daughter's head is also very small compared to the growth chart and has had to be checked every three months until she was almost 4yrs. old. Her head was following the chart, but was (and still is) under the growth curve. The doctor doesn't seem to be too concerned because my daughter is very bright and exceeds most other tests and milestones. I was a little freaked out when the doctor first brought my daughters head size up, but her head seems to fit the size of her body and doesn't look disproportionate. As my Mom likes to joke..."What are they going to do, stretch her head?!?!" I think as long as your daughter is happy and performing as any other 1 yr. old, that just having to buy small hats sheould be the least of your worries.
It doesn't necessarily mean anything. They'll probably just measure at the next appointment and if her cercumfrance is still smaller, they'll probably just have a couple more check ups.
My daycare provider had/has a smaller head and 40 years ago the doctors told her mom she was going to be retarded, because of that. She's perfectly fine. I only share that to point out that it's not necessarily a problem- not to worry you.
as long as she is growing at her own pace everything is good! She does not have to be at what statstics say. Try not to worry about it. They just monitor everything cuz they want to make she she will grow up to be a healthy girl!
S., I am anxious about the same thing. My 4 month old has a small head circumference. Is your daughter on the small side weight-wise? If so, her head should be smaller too or she would not be proportional. From everything I have read, as long as a child is meeting her milestones, it is probably nothing to worry about. A head circumference in the 3rd, 2nd, even 1st percentile is just a small head. For every child with a small head, there is a child with a large head. Not everyone has an average sized head. I would recommend that you relax unless your doctor finds a problem. If she seems fine, she probably is. Good luck!
I wouldn't stress over it. Maybe she just has a small head. My daughter's bone growth was a year ahead of her age at 15 months. The doctor's all freaked out telling me somethign was really wrong. I was like whatever - At least 4 of her cousins were diagnosed with that at the same age and they are fine. Some kids just grow differently. The body parts all come together in size eventually.
Hi S.,
I'm sorry I can't really give you any medical knowledge, but in the 30 years of working with small children I have never heard of any concerns with a small head circumference. I have had a few that have been told they have a big head circumference, but there are no medical problems with this...it is just that we are all made differently and some more than others, so I would assume that your daughter will never experience any problems with having a smaller head circumference.
C.
