Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

So after a great morning - followed by finding out my parents are coming home early from their cruise b.c there is a change my father retina might be detaching then we had Madelyn's 8 month (8.5 months actually) well visit. She is growing nicely and is now exactly 19 lbs and 28 1/2 inches! So she went up 10 ounces and 1 1/2 inches this month!! BUT then the ped mentioned that he is worried about the size of her head (19.5)

A few months ago he noted that she had a huge head and we asked if we should be concerned and he told us no. Saying DH and I must have huge heads (which neither of us have ever been told). Well today he mentions that her head is 19 1/2 and it has been "off the charts" for a few months and NOW he is saying he is a bit nervous. She doesn't have bulging fontenals or eyes - but he is concerned with the growth and "hopes" it is just our head size - but DD#2's head measured at 5 months what DD#1 did at 12 months. So we have to take her to a neurologist on the 22nd and now I'm freaking out - after reading a bit online (one thing I read about signs was about visible veins and we asked the ped several months ago about the fact that she has tons of veins visible all over her head that DD#1 didn't have).

He mentioned that she seems very advanced so it hasn't hurt her milestone wise so far. I have no idea what the implications of this is - if it isn't hereditary.

Has anyone else been thru this? What can you tell me about it.

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

Heather (hbugal) just did a post about head circumference. Compare to the answers on there.

I do not think she has a big head at all

bumped it for you

Message edited 2/12/2010 5:47:32 PM.

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

I'm sorry I can't help you with any advice but anything you find out I would love to know about. My DS seems to have a bigger head than many other kids his age (he's also a lot bigger than kids his age, even kids twice his age) and has some light veins. Good luck!

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

What are her other percentiles?

Eliza is only 15 months and her head measured 47cm. In the meantime she has also been in the 95th-99th percintile for height and weight. Right now her head is bigger than her 2.5 year old sister's!

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

Well she was 19 lbs even and 28.5 inches - so I guess that makes her about. She is about 75% for height (per the charts I looked at my ped just says she is average doesn't give percentages) and around 50-60% for weight.

He says her head is off the charts though - 19.5 this month. At 5 months it was where DD#1 was at 12 months.

He said it could be hereditary but I have never been told I have a big head.

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

DD has always been off the charts with her head. But her weight and height have also been off the charts so they were never concerned.

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

Dont worry about the visible vein thing...

Macrocephly (large head) and the vein thing is a very very rare disorder that she most definitely does not have...

Caden has a large head...as do my girls. Even my eldest daughter who should have a small head (she has Down Syndrome) has a big head....

Measure your own head and DH's where do they fall?

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

My head is 22 - not sure where that falls - I'm trying to find a good adult chart - but I think that is about average. Neither DH nor I have ever been told by any doctors that we have big heads so I have no idea - I'm hoping I'm wrong and we DO have big heads - but she is REALLY off the charts when I look at them. Even if I list her as 9 months (which she will be on the 23rd she is WAY off the charts).

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

At my ds' 1st year checkup the dr. wanted to do a sonogram b/c she thought his head was measuring a little large. She assured us it was nothing and just wanted to be certain. He got the sonogram and the dr. called us saying that she thought he may have extra fluid in his head - thought he had hydrocephalus- we were so upset. We made an appointment with a neurologist and neurosurgeon at cornell - the best in the country. We had an MRI (i think...if not, a CAT scan). We met with the neurologist before the test and he didn't think there was anything wrong - said my dh had a big head! Then we saw the neurosurgeon after the mri and he saw nothing wrong, it wasn't hydrocephalus and simply thought that his fontanels (or ventricles, can't remember !) were a little larger and that he would grow into it. We went for a follow up 6 months later and his head growth evened out and he was in the 50%. So we had the best case scenario. G/L!

Message edited 2/12/2010 6:37:31 PM.

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

Don't even get me started with this! The DR was worried that ds' head was too big. She had me so nuts and of course, my fil, who is a dr arranged for us to see the top neurologist in NYC.

So, $500.00 later, ds just has a bigger then average head! Not that I wanted anything wrong!

But, all that the dr. did was measure ds' head, my head, & my h's head. She also wanted ds to do a few things such as run up and down the hallway, walk up steps, reach for something & some fine motor skills tests.

It isn't that bad! Don't worry yourself!

Re: Well visit and possible issues... has anyone had issues with the size of their child's head - what to expect at the neurologists? Kind of freaking out now...

My DS has a big head, but my DH has a big head too, so it has never been mentioned to us that it is out of the ordinary