Macrocephaly is a medical condition where a baby’s head is unusually larger than other infants of the same age and gender. While the condition may be harmless or benign in most cases, it may indicate an underlying medical condition like a brain tumour or genetic syndrome in some babies. In some cases, macrocephaly head circumference is caused due to family history. This is often diagnosed as benign familial macrocephaly. Other than the larger than normal size of the head, this does not lead to any additional health concerns. However, if the condition is due to a fluid build-up in the infant’s brain, it will require immediate medical attention. This extra fluid will place undue pressure on the brain leading to several health complications.
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Causes Behind Macrocephaly
In some cases, the reason behind macrocephaly may require medical attention. Some of the commonly seen macrocephaly causes include:
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Symptoms Of Macrocephaly
Although the primary symptom of macrocephaly is a larger than usual head, it may also be accompanied by other symptoms, which will help doctors identify the underlying medical condition.
The doctors will also ask parents to keep an eye out for other signs like excessive sleepiness, poor feeding, unusual eye movement, vomiting, extreme irritability or a bulging soft spot.
Although the macrocephaly definition may seem to scare parents, finding the cause behind the condition will help doctors come up with a treatment plan. The treatment measures differ from case to case and may include surgery, oral medication, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy and behavioural therapy. Babes with familial macrocephaly grow up with no major problems and do not require any treatment as such.
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Benign familial macrocephaly is a family trait that can cause babies to have a large head. It is a harmless genetic issue. Build-up of fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus), an increase in brain size (megalencephaly), or other underlying medical conditions can cause large heads and lead to issues.
If macrocephaly is caused by a health issue, it can be treated with surgery, medications, or therapy. If it is benign familial macrocephaly, there is no need to fix it unless it causes issues. The doctor will routinely monitor the child to keep a close watch on their development and intervene if and when necessary.
Yes, if a baby has a large head due to their genetics, they can be normal and have no health complications. However, doctors will run tests to rule out other complications that may cause a large head. If there are no issues, the baby will develop normally.
It depends on the cause of the macrocephaly. If it is due to family traits or benign external hydrocephalus, it will not impact the child’s life expectancy in any way. However, if it is due to fluid buildup, brain swelling, or other complications, the life expectancy can be significantly reduced. Each case is unique, and the doctor will give an approximate duration based on various test results.
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