The child in the first months of life needs to be shown to the local pediatrician regularly. The doctor watches not only over health of the kid, but also over his development. An important indicator of physical development is change of circumference. Too fast or too slow growth of the head can testify to serious diseases. As a rule, control from the pediatrician is quite enough. But the interested parents can also measure the kid.
It is required to you
- - centimetric tape;
- - table of changes of circumference.
Instruction
1. The usual centimetric tape which tailors use will be suitable for measurement of a circle of the head. It is necessary only that figures were written rather accurately. Pay attention that the parties of a tape differ. At standard sewing centimeter two zero marks. Therefore it is very important that the tape in process was not overwound.
2. It is better to take measurements with the assistant. Let someone from house will take the kid on hands. Take off a thick cap, thin it is possible to leave. It is possible to measure the newborn child as during sleep, and minutes of wakefulness.
3. Apply a zero mark of centimeter to a back part of the head of the kid, is slightly higher than a nape. Hold the end of centimeter with a finger. Circle a tape over an auricle, eyebrows, the second ear. The tape should not stretch or dangle too freely.
4. Look at result and write down it. Compare data with the table and with result of the previous measurement. If there are considerable deviations in growth rate, address the pediatrician. The average growth rate of a cranium demonstrates that the brain of the kid develops in full accordance with age indicators too. Excessive increase can be a symptom of hydrocephaly and other diseases.
5. After a year the head can be measured not so often. Usually similar measurements carry out time to half a year. On the second year of life the circle of the head increases on average on 1.5-2sm, and between two and three years the change is only 1 cm or slightly more.