HOW TO CURE SUNKEN FONTANEL OR SOFT SPOT
The fontanel is the soft spot on the top of a newborn baby’s
head. It is where the bones of his skull have not formed completely. Normally
it takes a year to a year and a half for the soft spot to close completely.
Mothers in different lands realize that when the soft spot
sinks inward their babies are in danger. They have many beliefs to explain
this. In Latin America mothers think the baby’s brains have slipped downward.
They try to correct this by sucking on the soft spot, by pushing up on the roof
of the mouth, or by holding the baby upside down and slapping his feet. This
does not help because… A sunken soft spot is really caused by dehydration.
This means the child is losing more liquid than he is
drinking. He is too dry—usually because he has diarrhea, or diarrhea with
vomiting.
Treatment for sunken fontanel or soft spot
- Give the child plenty of liquid: Re-hydration Drink, breast milk, or boiled water.
- If necessary, treat the causes of the diarrhea and vomiting. For most diarrhea, medicine is not needed, and may do more harm than good.
TO CURE A SUNKEN SOFT SPOT
Note: If the soft spot is swollen or bulges upward, this may
be a sign of meningitis. Begin treatment at once, and get medical help.
