Question
What are the general effects of an early-closed fontanelle in infants?
Answer
An early-closed fontanelle can be categorized into physiological and pathological types. Physiological early closure refers to a situation where, in addition to the fontanelle being closed early, the infant’s head circumference and growth development are normal, without any impact on the child. Pathological early closure, on the other hand, is accompanied by symptoms such as poor head circumference growth, obvious suture overlapping, and microcephaly. This condition leads to poor brain development, with the child showing difficulties in feeding, low intelligence, and delayed language and motor development. For pathological early closure, it is crucial to detect and determine the cause early on, and to initiate early intervention.