The child in the first months of life should be regularly shown to the local pediatrician. The doctor monitors not only the health of the baby, but also his development. An important indicator of physical development is a change in head girth. Head growth that is too fast or too slow may indicate serious medical conditions. As a rule, supervision by a pediatrician is sufficient. But interested parents can measure their baby themselves.
It is necessary
- - tape measure;
- - table of changes in head circumference.
Instructions
Step 1
To measure the circumference of your head, use a standard tape measure used by tailors. It is only necessary that the numbers are written clearly enough. Please note that the sides of the tape are different. The standard sewing centimeter has two zero marks. Therefore, it is very important that the tape does not twist during the process.
Step 2
Measurements are best done with an assistant. Have someone from your family take the baby in her arms. Remove the thick cap, you can leave the thin one. You can measure a newborn baby both during sleep and during waking hours.
Step 3
Place the zero centimeter mark on the back of your baby's head, just above the back of the head. Hold the end of the centimeter with your finger. Circle the tape over the auricle, eyebrows, second ear. The tape should not be tight or loose.
Step 4
Look at the result and write it down. Compare the data with the table and with the previous measurement. If there is a significant variation in the growth rate, contact your pediatrician. The average growth rate of the cranium indicates that the baby's brain is also developing in full accordance with age. Excessive enlargement can be a symptom of hydrocephalus and other conditions.
Step 5
After a year, the head can be measured less often. Usually, such measurements are carried out every six months. In the second year of life, the head circumference increases on average by 1.5-2 cm, and between two and three years, the change is only 1 cm or a little more.
