Microcephaly symptoms include a small head size (circumference) that falls below a typical number for the child’s age and sex. This may be caused by genetic abnormalities, chromosomal conditions, prenatal exposure to a substance or condition that affects brain development, or malnutrition during pregnancy.
Head circumference is measured with a flexible tape and compared to a standardized growth chart in percentiles. Doctors use this information to make a diagnosis of microcephaly.
Symptoms of microcephaly usually start at birth and can be very serious. The condition can cause learning disabilities, seizures, developmental delays, poor speech, language, and coordination problems, and a shorter lifespan.
If your baby has a small head, her doctor will measure it regularly during well-baby visits. They’ll also record any changes in her head’s size between appointments.
You should let your child’s doctor know if any of the head measurements seem unusual. You might also want to ask about the occipital frontal circumference, which is the measurement of your child’s head over the ridge of their eyebrows and around the back of their skull.
In some cases, you might be referred to a specialist for a test. Those tests can include ultrasounds or computed tomography scans.
These tests are useful for detecting many types of congenital brain disorders. They can also help your doctor decide what kind of treatment your baby should have after her birth.
Early detection is important for reducing the severity of these symptoms. If you notice any signs or symptoms of microcephaly in your child, it’s best to call her doctor right away.
The most common symptom of microcephaly is a head that is smaller than average for her age and gender. She may have a sloping forehead.
Some babies with microcephaly don’t have any other noticeable symptoms at birth, but they can still have health problems. They might have seizures, learning disabilities, hearing loss or vision problems.
They might also have a hard time walking and talking, or they might develop other brain diseases like epilepsy.
Depending on the condition, your child’s doctor might prescribe medication to control symptoms or to treat other problems associated with the condition. Surgical intervention (removal of the affected area of the brain) is sometimes used to correct symptoms and restore normal function.
A multidisciplinary team of doctors is required to provide comprehensive care. This team can also work with families to plan appropriate activities and education for the child.
The CDC has reported an increase in the number of newborns with microcephaly due to Zika virus infections in Brazil, where an epidemic was started in April 2015. It is unclear how many of these babies have microcephaly as a result of Zika virus infection and how many were born with other conditions that might be causing this problem.
Symptoms of microcephaly can be very serious and can include seizures, developmental delays, poor speech, language, coordination and balance problems, and a shorter lifespan. These children are likely to have some cognitive and behavioral problems, including autism, which is a severe form of mental disability that affects the ability to communicate and interact with others.
