Bulging Fontanelle: Causes & Reasons

Possible Causes for Bulging Fontanelle

fontanelle (or soft spot) behavior changes for meningitis in children older than 1 year neck and/or back pain headache nausea and vomiting neck stiffness Can you prevent [childrenshospital.org]

Incubation period unknown, 2 - 4 days probably Signs and Symptoms Fever Vomiting Headache Lethargy Bulging fontanelle in infants Progressive stupor or coma is common Stiff [deputyprimeminister.gov.mt]

fontanelle Symptoms of epiglottitis Fever Breathing difficulty Noisy breathing Difficulty swallowing Drooling A child with epiglottitis may sit with an extended neck and [immune.org.nz]

Meningococcal Meningitis

fontanel. [orpha.net]

fontanelle (soft spot on an infants head) behavior changes In children older than one year neck and/or back pain headache nausea and vomiting neck stiffness For meningococcemia [childrenshospital.org]

fontanelles in infants Decreased consciousness Poor feeding or irritability in children Rapid breathing Unusual posture with the head and neck arched backwards (opisthotonus [mountsinai.org]

Brain Abscess

fontanelle (the soft spot located on the top of a baby’s head). [upmc.com]

Bulging fontanelle in infants. Differential diagnosis Meningitis. Encephalitis. Brain tumour or other intracranial space-occupying lesion. [patient.info]

[…] muscle function Seizures Decreased sensation Trouble with speech Symptoms of brain abscess in babies and young children include high-pitched cries, poor feeding, and full or bulging [upmc.com]

Subdural Effusion

Clinical, infants Bulging fontanelle, widened sutures, increased head circumference, persistent fever, increased intracranial pressure, leading to vomiting, seizures. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

Symptoms may include: Outward curving of a baby's soft spot (bulging fontanelle) Abnormally wide spaces in the bony joints of a baby's skull (separated sutures) Increased [medlineplus.gov]

Symptoms may include: Outward curving of a baby's soft spot ( bulging fontanelle ) Abnormally wide spaces in the bony joints of a baby's skull ( separated sutures ) Increased [nlm.nih.gov]

Bacterial Meningitis

As the abscesses grow, pressure on the brain increases (called intracranial pressure), resulting in vomiting, head enlargement, and bulging fontanelles. [merckmanuals.com]

fontanelles in babies Decreased alertness Poor feeding or irritability in children Rapid breathing Unusual posture, with the head and neck arched backward ( opisthotonos [medlineplus.gov]

In about 33 to 50% of newborns with meningitis, increased pressure of the fluid around the brain may make the fontanelles (the soft spots between the skull bones) bulge or [merckmanuals.com]

Communicating Hydrocephalus

Physical examination can reveal an enlarged head (macrocephaly) and a bulging, prominent fontanelle. [symptoma.com]

Communicating Hydrocephalus Picture – Showing Bulging fontanel, Lateral ventricle, Third ventricle, Aqueduct of Sylvius and the Fourth ventricle. [heydoctor.org]

fontanelle Setting-sun sign: Characteristic of increased intracranial pressure (ICP); downward deviation of the ocular globes, retracted upper lids, visible white sclerae [emedicine.medscape.com]

Obstructive Hydrocephalus

In infants and neonates, a disproportionate head growth, bulging fontanelles, markedly wider separation of the cranial sutures, and paresis of upward gaze (the "setting sun [symptoma.com]

Manifestations can include enlarged head, bulging fontanelle, irritability, lethargy, vomiting, and seizures. [msdmanuals.com]

In infants with hydrocephalus, the symptoms are an abnormally enlarged head circumference, a tense and bulged fontanelle, a conspicuous eye position, the so-called sundown [uniklinik-freiburg.de]

Subdural Empyema

fontanelle, seizures DIFFERENTIAL Epidural abscess - not as ill, rare nuchal rigidity Cerebral abscess - chronic course, rare nuchal rigidity SDH - no contrast enhancement [learnneurosurgery.com]

He had fever and tense-bulging anterior fontanelle. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

On examination, the infant was pyrexial at 39°C, tachycardic with a capillary refill time of 4 seconds and a bulging anterior fontanelle. [casesjournal.biomedcentral.com]

Pneumococcal Meningitis

Young babies may present with poor feeding, irritability, lethargy, vomiting, fever, and a bulging anterior fontanel. [symptoma.com]

fontanelles in infants Decreased consciousness Poor feeding or irritability in children Rapid breathing Unusual posture, with the head and neck arched backwards ( opisthotonos [nlm.nih.gov]

Meningeal signs and papilledema can be noted in most of the patients while babies may have a bulging anterior fontanel indicative of raised intracranial pressure. [symptoma.com]

Listerial Meningitis

In young babies, doctors may also look for a bulging fontanelle (soft spot on infant’s head) or abnormal reflexes. [cdc.gov]

Kernicterus

fontanel (soft spot) Seizures Late stage: High-frequency hearing loss Intellectual disability Muscle rigidity Speech difficulties Seizures Movement disorder Exams and Tests [nicklauschildrens.org]

The affected baby may then develop a high-pitched cry, hypertonia of extensor muscles with arched back and hyperextended neck, bulging fontanelle and seizures. [patient.info]

fontanelles, pulmonary hemorrhage chronic: hearing damage, strabismus, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, death Conjugated (direct) bilirubin cannot enter the brain and [sharinginhealth.ca]

Subdural Hematoma

[…] walking Headache Lack of energy or confusion Seizures or loss of consciousness Nausea and vomiting Weakness or numbness Vision problems In infants, symptoms may include: Bulging [nlm.nih.gov]

fontanelles (the soft spots of the baby's skull) Separated sutures (the areas where growing skull bones join) Feeding problems Seizures High-pitched cry, irritability Increased [nlm.nih.gov]

Leptospiral Meningitis

Bulging fontanel was seen in two of the seven infants (28.6%). [dovepress.com]

Among the 51 infants aged <1 year, bulging fontanelle was detected in nine (5.9%). [dovepress.com]

Demographic (age, sex), clinical (classic symptoms of meningeal irritation — fever ˃37°C, headache, neck stiffness, vomiting, bulging fontanel, chills, seizures, altered mental [dovepress.com]

Syphilitic Meningitis

We report a neonate who presented at 60 hours of life w ith irritability, poor activity, seizures and bulging fontanel. [content.iospress.com]

Staphylococcus Aureus Meningitis

fontanelles in infants Decreased alertness Poor feeding or irritability in children Rapid breathing Unusual posture, with the head and neck arched backwards ( opisthotonos [medlineplus.gov]

Stiff neck (generally not present in children under the age of one year or in patients with altered mental state), back rigidity, bulging fontanelle (in infants), photophobia [patient.info]

[…] head LATE � Lethargy � Unilateral or bilateral 6th nerve palsy � Transtentorial or transforaminal syndromes � Lethargy or hyperirritability � Failure to thrive, vomiting � Bulging [atsu.edu]

Brain Edema

fontanel absent signs of ICP and intelligence may be spared. [quizlet.com]

[…] produce an increase in ICP but may result in dementia and gait changes Hydrocephalus in utero or in newborn Ventricles expand, cranial sutures separate, head expands, with bulging [quizlet.com]

Head Trauma

Injury. 2016 Nov;47(11):2424-2441. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2016.09.004. Epub 2016 Sep 3. Author information 1 Université de Strasbourg, UNISTRA-CNRS, ICube UMR 7357, 2 Rue Boussingault, 67000 Strasbourg, France. Electronic address: deb4uinl@gmail.com. 2 Royal Military Academy-Department of Weapons Systems and Ballistics-30[…] [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Hydrocephalus

Manifestations can include enlarged head, bulging fontanelle, irritability, lethargy, vomiting, and seizures. [merckmanuals.com]

Preoperative clinical parameters, including head circumference, bulging fontanelle, and coagulopathy, were not significantly associated with development of MIPH. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Hydrocephalus that develops only after the fontanelles have closed does not increase head circumference or cause the fontanelle to bulge but can markedly and rapidly increase [merckmanuals.com]

Neonatal Meningitis

Findings of a full or bulging fontanelle are not uncommon. Some patients may present with nuchal rigidity or hydrocephalus. [symptoma.com]

The newborn may not have a bulging fontanelle or a stiff neck. [calsprogram.org]

Upon admission the infant was more alert and appeared hungry, but still was irritable and had a bulging fontanelle. [pediatriceducation.org]

Meningitis

fontanel. [orpha.net]

Know the Symptoms Arching of the back (infants) Behavioural changes Blank, staring expression Bulging fontanelle (infants) Cold hands and feet Diarrhoea Dislike of being handled [meningitis.com.au]

[…] stiffness and photophobia are often absent in infants and young children who may manifest nonspecific signs such as irritability, inconsolable crying, poor feeding, and a bulging [orpha.net]

Brain Laceration

Research ArticlePEDIATRICS American Journal of Neuroradiology January 2016, 37 (1) 163-168; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4519 Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accurate differentiation of abusive head trauma and accidental head injury in infants and young children is critical and impacts clinical care, patient[…] [ajnr.org]

Haemophilus Influenzae Pneumonia

fontanelle Symptoms of epiglottitis Fever Breathing difficulty Noisy breathing Difficulty swallowing Drooling A child with epiglottitis may sit with an extended neck and [immune.org.nz]

fontanelle (or soft spot) Behavior changes Is often resistant to bend their neck when trying to play with or pick up a toy The symptoms of H. influenzae infection may resemble [chop.edu]

Fever, loss of appetite, vomiting Drowsiness, headache, sensitivity to bright light, neck stiffness Signs may be vague and non-specific in young infants; they may have a bulging [immune.org.nz]

Urea Cycle Disorder

The specific symptoms of disorders related to the urea cycle vary among the different types of these disorders. Typically, with complete deficiency of urea cycle enzymes, symptoms present within the first 24 hours after birth and hence urea cycle disorders are mostly diagnosed during infancy. However, some[…] [news-medical.net]

Ventricular Hemorrhage

Dehydration and signs and symptoms of infection What to expect in a bulging fontanel of a baby with IVH -Some babies may or may not have bulging fontanel with a sever bleed [quizlet.com]

fontanel 6) High pitched cry 7) Absent Moro reflex 8. 8) Seizures 9) A sudden drop in hematocrit 10) Failure to suck well 11) Change in muscle tone or level of consciousness [slideshare.net]

[…] of the fontanelles, the "soft spots" between the bones of the baby's head anemia (low blood count) [childrenshospital.org]

Rickets

Pan Afr Med J. 2018 May 4;30:9. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2018.30.9.14762. eCollection 2018. Author information 1 Endocrinology Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases Department of the Mohammed "V" Military Hospital, Rabat, Morocco. Abstract Rickets are abnormalities of mineralization that can lead to bone fractures and deformities.[…] [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Haemophilus Influenzae Infection

fontanelle (or soft spot) behavior changes for meningitis in children older than 1 year neck and/or back pain headache nausea and vomiting neck stiffness Can you prevent [childrenshospital.org]

fontanelle (or soft spot) behavior changes For meningitis in children older than 1 year neck and/or back pain headache nausea and vomiting neck stiffness Can you prevent [childrenshospital.org]

fontanelle (or soft spot) Behavior changes Is often resistant to bend their neck when trying to play with or pick up a toy The symptoms of H. influenzae infection may resemble [stanfordchildrens.org]

Tularemic Meningitis

Tularemia meningitis is a distinctly rare entity with only 14 cases reported in the literature, half of which occurred prior to 1950. In this case we provide the first description of cerebral microabscesses which occurred as a complication of tularemia meningitis. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Congenital Communicating Hydrocephalus

Manifestations can include enlarged head, bulging fontanelle, irritability, lethargy, vomiting, and seizures. [msdmanuals.com]

fontanelle Setting-sun sign: Characteristic of increased intracranial pressure (ICP); downward deviation of the ocular globes, retracted upper lids, visible white sclerae [emedicine.medscape.com]

Hydrocephalus that develops only after the fontanelles have closed does not increase head circumference or cause the fontanelle to bulge but can markedly and rapidly increase [msdmanuals.com]

Aqueduct of Sylvius Anomaly

Manifestations can include enlarged head, bulging fontanelle, irritability, lethargy, vomiting, and seizures. [merckmanuals.com]

In the infant enlarging head size, bulging fontanelles and gaping cranial sutures are seen. Setting sun phenomenon may also be present. [radiopaedia.org]

fontanelle, ↑ head circumference, irritability, lethargy • DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST • • Consider • Shunt + headache does not always mean shunt failure – Consider sinusitis, trauma [slideshare.net]

Hypervitaminosis A

[…] dry skin, gastrointestinal complaints (nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea), increased intracranial pressure, poor growth in children; affected infants may develop bulging [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

Symptoms Abnormal softening of the skull bone (craniotabes — infants and children) Blurred vision Bone pain or swelling Bulging fontanelle (infants) Changes in consciousness [coordinatedhealth.com]

fontanelle (the soft spot in an infant's skull) Changes in consciousness Decreased appetite Dizziness Double vision (in young children) Drowsiness Hair changes, such as hair [nicklauschildrens.org]