Head Sizes and Shapes

Question 1

What are examples of head size problems?

Answer 1

• Macrocephaly
  
  • Too large
• Microcephaly
  
  • Too small

Question 2

What are the medical terms for:

• too large head
• too small head

Answer 2

• Macrocephaly
  
  • Too large
• Microcephaly
  
  • Too small

Question 3

What can head shape indicate?

Answer 3

Head shape can also be benign or indicate underlying problems

Question 4

What is:

• A
• B
• C

Answer 4

A - frontal bones

B - anterior fontanelle

C - posterior fontanelle

Question 5

What is:

• D
• E
• F

Answer 5

D - occipital bone

E - lambdoid suture

F - parietal bones

Question 6

What is:

• G
• H

Answer 6

G - coronal sutures

H - metopic suture

Question 7

What is the order of how the fontanelles close?

Answer 7

1. At birth, bones of skull are not fused together
2. Posterior fontanelle closes 2-3 months after birth
3. Anterior fontanelle closes between 1-3 years of age

Question 8

How is head size measures?

Answer 8

• Occipitofrontal circumference
  
  • Routine between birth and 3 years
  • Plotted on head size chart

Question 9

What is microcephaly?

Answer 9

Is a head size 2SD below the mean

Question 10

What does microcephaly usually indicate?

Answer 10

Usually indicates small brain:

• Microanencephaly

Question 11

What is the medical termf for small brain?

Answer 11

• Microanencephaly

Question 12

What are important things to consider about microcephaly for diagnosis?

Answer 12

• Prenatal or post natal onset
  
  • Is it crossing centiles downwards
• Timing of onset may be clue

Question 13

Microcephaly - aetiology

Answer 13

• Antenatal
• Postnatal
• Genetic
• Environment

Question 14

What is macrocephaly?

Answer 14

A head size 2SD above the mean

Question 15

What are other physical abnormalities associated with macrocephaly?

Answer 15

• Facial features
• Hepatosplenomegaly
• Bony deformities

Question 16

Macrocephaly - aetiology

Answer 16

• Familial
• Hydrocephalus
• Large brain

Question 17

What are important questions to diagnosis problem causing head shape problems?

Answer 17

• Timing of onset
• Getting better or worse

Question 18

What are some common head shape problems?

Answer 18

• Plagiocephaly
  
  • “Flat head’
• Brachycephaly
  
  • “Short head or flat at back”
• Scaphocephaly
  
  • “Boat shaped skull”
• Craniosynostosis
  
  • Sutures fused too early

Question 19

What investigations are done for head shape problems?

Answer 19

CT scan

X-ray

Question 20

What is:

• plagiocephaly
• brachycephaly
• scaphocephaly
• craniosynostosis

Answer 20

• Plagiocephaly
  
  • “Flat head”
• Brachycephaly
  
  • “Short head or flat at back”
• Scaphocephaly
  
  • “Boat shaped skull”
• Craniosynostosis
  
  • Sutures fused too early