The average newborn head circumference is about 13.5 inches. Your baby’s doctor will measure and chart your baby’s head circumference from birth through 2 years of age.
Girls: Head circumference from 2 to 3 years.
| Age (months) | Average head circumference | |
|---|---|---|
| 24.5 | 47.54 | 18.72 |
| 25.5 | 47.66 | 18.76 |
| 26.5 | 47.78 | 18.81 |
| 27.5 | 47.89 | 18.85 |
In this post
What is a normal head circumference at birth?
The distance around the baby’s head: The average newborn’s head measures 13 3/4 in (35 cm)
What is considered abnormal head circumference?
Technically, your child’s head circumference (measurement around the widest part of their head) is greater than the 97th percentile. This means their head is larger than 97% of children of the same age and sex. Macrocephaly can be a sign of a condition that requires treatment.
What head circumference is considered small?
Microcephaly is a head size (measured as the distance around the top of the head) significantly below the median for the infant’s age and sex. Significantly below is generally considered to be smaller than three standard deviations below the mean, or less than 42 cm in circumference at full growth.
What is the normal head circumference for a 3 month old?
approximately 15¼ to 16¼ inches
Having a normal head circumference for a 3-month old, approximately 15¼ to 16¼ inches can be an important indicator of a newborn’s health and is one of the key measurements your pediatrician will take regularly through this important developmental stage.
What is a good percentile for head circumference?
The normal range is usually defined as approximately between the 5th and 95th percentiles. So if your baby’s head circumference is in the 50th percentile, that means that they have the average head circumference.
What does a baby head circumference tell you?
Head circumference is measured because it’s an easy way to tell if there’s a potential problem or if something needs to be watched. For example, if the head grows too fast, it could sign hydrocephalus or water on the brain. If the head grows too slowly, it could be a sign of microcephaly or a smaller head than normal.
Does a small head mean a small brain?
Preliminary studies have suggested links between brain size, head size, and IQ. But head circumference isn’t directly correlated with intellect. Among the many things that expectant parents hope for in a newborn is, a big head — maybe not so much at birth, but shortly thereafter.
Do autistic babies have big heads?
The report concluded that autistic patients had significantly larger head circumferences than the general population, with 15.7% having actual macrocephaly and 9.1% having brain overgrowth. Other research estimates that as high as 35% of individuals with autism have an “abnormally” large head size.
Can babies with small heads be normal?
Some children with small heads have normal intelligence. Microcephaly may be caused by problems during a woman’s pregnancy. In some cases, it may be caused by inheriting an abnormal gene. Microcephaly is a lifelong condition that has no cure.
At what age does head circumference stop growing?
The current head growth charts provided by the CDC stop at 36 months of age.
Should I be concerned if my baby’s head is small?
Some babies with microcephaly have no health complications other than having a small head and being short. But some babies with microcephaly may have lifelong health problems, including: Cerebral palsy (also called CP). This is a group of conditions that affects the parts of the brain that control muscles.
What is a normal head circumference for a 2 year old?
Head Circumference for Age
In most cases, boys head measurements for this age group (2 year old) will lie within the range between 45.53 and 50.49 cms. The average head measurement for this age group boys is 48.25 cms, according to the CDC.
What should a 4 month old head circumference?
Poor growth – Head circumference-for-age boys
| Age | Weight (kg) | Head Circumference (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 3.3 | 34.6 |
| 1 month | 4.4 | 37.1 |
| 3 months | 6.1 | 40.5 |
| 5 months | 6.45 | 42.5 |
What percentile is considered microcephaly?
Microcephaly refers to a condition in which HC is significantly smaller than average for the age and gender of an infant or child. Although <3rd percentile is commonly used to define microcephaly, some literature defines it also as <5th or <10th percentile.
How many inches should a 4 month old head be?
Head Circumference for Age
| Percentile | 48.8% |
|---|---|
| Age | 0 years, 4 months and 0 days |
| Head size | 41.6cms / 16.4 inches |
Those with the biggest heads tended to have the highest IQ scores. The researchers found that head growth by age 1 was the key factor.
Why would a baby’s head be too big?
Causes of macrocephaly include: Benign familial macrocephaly – other family members with big heads (inherited) Excess fluid in the brain – benign extra-axial fluid of infancy or hydrocephalus.
What causes small head size?
Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. During pregnancy, a baby’s head grows because the baby’s brain grows. Microcephaly can occur because a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth, which results in a smaller head size.
Does head size mean anything?
Head circumference has essentially nothing to do with intelligence and, as long as your child’s head is average-size and regularly growing, there’s no cause for alarm when he or she comes in a bit behind the curve.
What are early signs of autism?
Social differences in children with autism
- May not keep eye contact or makes little or no eye contact.
- Shows no or less response to a parent’s smile or other facial expressions.
- May not look at objects or events a parent is looking at or pointing to.
- May not point to objects or events to get a parent to look at them.