BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuIncreased head circumferenceMacrocephalyIncreased head circumference is when the measured distance around the widest part of the skull is larger than expected for the child's age and background.Head circumferenceHead circumference is a measurement of a child's head around its largest area. It measures the distance from above the eyebrows and ears and around ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Considerations A newborn's head is usually about 2 cm (0.78 inch) larger than the chest size. Between 6 months and 2 years, both measurements are about equal. After 2 years, the chest size becomes larger than the head.Measurements over time that show an increased rate of head growth often provide more valuable information than a single measurement that is larger than expected.Increased pressure inside the head (increased intracranial pressure) often occurs with increased head circumference. Symptoms of this condition include:Increased intracranial pressureIncreased intracranial pressure is a rise in the pressure inside the skull that can result from or cause brain injury.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Eyes moving downward Irritability IrritabilityYoung children who cannot talk yet will let you know when something is wrong by acting fussy or irritable. If your child is fussier than usual, it c...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Causes Increased head size may be from any of the following:Benign familial macrocephaly (family tendency toward large head size) Canavan disease (condition that affects how the body breaks down and uses a protein called aspartic acid) Canavan diseaseCanavan disease is a condition that affects how the body breaks down and uses aspartic acid.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hydrocephalus (buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling) HydrocephalusHydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to the brain pushing against the skull. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain. "...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding inside the skull Disease in which the body is unable to break down long chains of sugar molecules (Hurler or Morquio syndrome) HurlerMucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a rare disease in which the body is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme needed to break down long ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article MorquioMucopolysaccharidosis type IV (MPS IV) is a rare disease in which the body is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme needed to break down long ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Your health care provider usually finds an increased head size in a baby during a routine well-baby exam. What to Expect at Your Office Visit A careful physical exam will be done. Other milestones for growth and development will be checked.Milestones for growth and developmentDevelopmental milestones are behaviors or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. Rolling over, crawling, walking, an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In some cases, a single measurement is enough to confirm that there is a size increase that needs to be tested further. More often, repeated measurements of the head circumference over time are needed to confirm that the head circumference is increased and the problem is getting worse.Diagnostic tests that may be ordered include:Head CT scan Head CT scanA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article MRI of the head MRI of the headA head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cranial ultrasoundTreatment depends on the cause of the increased head size. For example, for hydrocephalus, surgery may be needed to relieve the buildup of fluid inside the skull.Open ReferencesReferencesBamba V, Kelly A. Assessment of growth. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27.Mitchell AL. Congenital abnormalities. Disorders in head shape and size. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 30.AllVideoImagesTogSkull of a newborn - illustration The sutures or anatomical lines where the bony plates of the skull join together can be easily felt in the newborn infant. The diamond shaped space on the top of the skull and the smaller space further to the back are often referred to as the soft spot in young infants.Skull of a newbornillustrationSkull of a newborn - illustration The sutures or anatomical lines where the bony plates of the skull join together can be easily felt in the newborn infant. The diamond shaped space on the top of the skull and the smaller space further to the back are often referred to as the soft spot in young infants.Skull of a newbornillustrationRelated Information Increased intracranial pressure(Condition)Fontanelles - bulging(Symptoms) Review Date: 4/25/2023 Reviewed By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Increased head circumferenceMacrocephalyIncreased head circumference is when the measured distance around the widest part of the skull is larger than expected for the child's age and background.Head circumferenceHead circumference is a measurement of a child's head around its largest area. It measures the distance from above the eyebrows and ears and around ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Considerations A newborn's head is usually about 2 cm (0.78 inch) larger than the chest size. Between 6 months and 2 years, both measurements are about equal. After 2 years, the chest size becomes larger than the head.Measurements over time that show an increased rate of head growth often provide more valuable information than a single measurement that is larger than expected.Increased pressure inside the head (increased intracranial pressure) often occurs with increased head circumference. Symptoms of this condition include:Increased intracranial pressureIncreased intracranial pressure is a rise in the pressure inside the skull that can result from or cause brain injury.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Eyes moving downward Irritability IrritabilityYoung children who cannot talk yet will let you know when something is wrong by acting fussy or irritable. If your child is fussier than usual, it c...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting Causes Increased head size may be from any of the following:Benign familial macrocephaly (family tendency toward large head size) Canavan disease (condition that affects how the body breaks down and uses a protein called aspartic acid) Canavan diseaseCanavan disease is a condition that affects how the body breaks down and uses aspartic acid.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hydrocephalus (buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling) HydrocephalusHydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to the brain pushing against the skull. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain. "...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding inside the skull Disease in which the body is unable to break down long chains of sugar molecules (Hurler or Morquio syndrome) HurlerMucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a rare disease in which the body is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme needed to break down long ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article MorquioMucopolysaccharidosis type IV (MPS IV) is a rare disease in which the body is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme needed to break down long ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Your health care provider usually finds an increased head size in a baby during a routine well-baby exam. What to Expect at Your Office Visit A careful physical exam will be done. Other milestones for growth and development will be checked.Milestones for growth and developmentDevelopmental milestones are behaviors or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. Rolling over, crawling, walking, an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In some cases, a single measurement is enough to confirm that there is a size increase that needs to be tested further. More often, repeated measurements of the head circumference over time are needed to confirm that the head circumference is increased and the problem is getting worse.Diagnostic tests that may be ordered include:Head CT scan Head CT scanA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article MRI of the head MRI of the headA head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cranial ultrasoundTreatment depends on the cause of the increased head size. For example, for hydrocephalus, surgery may be needed to relieve the buildup of fluid inside the skull.Open ReferencesReferencesBamba V, Kelly A. Assessment of growth. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27.Mitchell AL. Congenital abnormalities. Disorders in head shape and size. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 30.