The fontanelles they are the separations between the hollows of the baby's skull, they are important since they facilitate that the head can adapt and cross the birth canal. Once it is born, the fontanelles also allow the baby's brain to have enough space to develop.
The baby's skull has six fontanelles although we would only palpate two clearly. One is shaped like a rhombus and is located at the top of the head, the other with a triangular shape, is just above the neck. They are soft and you can see how they rise and fall to the beat of your heart.
Sometimes the fontanelles can indicate some type of problem, depending on how they are, If they are bulky, they indicate the increase in intracranial pressure and the specialist will recommend the appropriate measures to be able to release this pressure. If on the contrary they are sunk, they indicate a possible dehydration. These soft parts or separations in your baby's skull are covered by a thick and fibrous layer to better protect the brain. It is dangerous to press them, although they can be touched. Touching the cranial fontanelles is one of the techniques that doctors and nurses use to check the growth and development of children.
The anterior fontanel can be closed until 18 months and the posterior can be closed at 6 months. Sometimes, the baby may have on his head, some scallops or seborrheic dermatitis that is easily treated with almond oil and then gently pass a cardboard to detach them.
