Cephalohematoma in newborns is a type of birth injury in which hemorrhage occurs in the area between the periosteum and the outer surface of the skull, forming a characteristic bulge on the head. With timely medical attention, cephalohematoma is easily treatable.
Reasons for the appearance of cephalohematoma
If a child has a cephalohematoma, the reasons for this unpleasant circumstance lie in excessive squeezing of the head when the newborn moves along the birth canal. This happens if the woman in labor has a narrow or flat pelvis or the fetus is large. The causes of cephalohematoma can be post-term pregnancy, pathologically rapid labor in primipara, various pathologies in the fetus, pelvic or facial presenting of the fetus.
Also, the reasons for the formation of cephalohematoma can lie in hypoxic birth injuries that occur when the umbilical cord is entwined, tongue retraction, mucus accumulation in the mouth, etc. In some cases, it is possible to predict the possibility of cephalohematoma formation even at the stage of pregnancy, but more often cephalohematoma becomes an unpleasant surprise that can greatly scare a young mother. Fortunately, modern medicine successfully treats such birth injuries, the main thing is to seek medical help on time.
Treatment of cephalohematoma in newborns
Methods for treating cephalohematomas in newborns depend on their size. Small cephalohematomas do not require any medical intervention and, as a rule, completely resolve by two months of the child's life. However, constant medical supervision is necessary. Perhaps a doctor, to help a small body, will prescribe calcium gluconate to strengthen blood vessels or vitamin K, which improves blood clotting. In this case, the parents need to try so that the child does not cry for a long time, because while crying, blood rushes to the head, complicating the process of resorption of the swelling.
If the size of the cephalohematoma is larger than normal, it is surgically removed. To do this, the surgeon pierces the tumor with a special needle and pumps out the blood. After that, a pressure bandage is applied to the head. The operation to pump out the tumor is not difficult, but, given the small age of the child, it is better to carry out it in a hospital setting, so that the child is under the supervision of a doctor around the clock. After removal of the tumor, the surgeon must examine the child daily, measuring the temperature and assessing the condition of the skin at the site of the tumor. If the doctor notices suppuration, the child is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs.
In some cases, you have to resort to additional surgical interventions associated with the removal of pus and blood residues. In any case, mothers should not panic: following the recommendations of the doctors, you will definitely achieve a complete recovery of the baby, and after a couple of months you will not even remember that he had any problems.
