Every time you visit your baby’s pediatrician, you will observe that your baby is weighed and measured. The doctor also then plots their measurements on the infant growth chart. You wonder what this is all about, don’t you? Have you heard about the baby head circumference chart?
Well, this measurement plotting helps your baby’s pediatrician track your baby’s growth over time and against the national average. These baby head circumference chart measurements are mentioned in metric and standard units and recorded in a percentile format. Through your baby’s initial growing months and years, the doctor will track various measurements. One such important parameter that needs measurement, recording, and monitoring is the head circumference. Here your baby head circumference chart is given below read on about it.
In This Article
- What is the Head Circumference?
- What is the Baby Head Circumference?
- How Much Should My Baby’s Head Grow Each Month?
- FAQ’s
What is the Head Circumference?
The head circumference is the distance between the middle of the forehead and the farthest part of the rear of the head. It is often measured in metric units, with centimeters preferred over inches, and you can see the baby head circumference chart given below. It can be measured using a tape measure – either flexible or paper.
The height, weight, and head circumference of a baby will be recorded in percentiles. These percentiles denote your baby’s growth in comparison with the national average of other children in the same age group. This percentile chart is developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that doctors use these WHO charts for children in the age group of 1-2 years. In India, we too have growth charts, keeping the average Indian baby and child in mind. One more thing to remember is that girls and boys have different parameters.
What is the Baby Head Circumference?
The circumference of a healthy, full-term baby is between 12.5 to 13.5 inches or 31.75–34.29 centimeters. The head circumference of newborn boys tends to be greater than that of newborn girls as boys are born larger and grow faster than girls.
There is no normal percentile range for your baby’s head circumference. Whether your baby’s head circumference falls in the 10th or 90th percentile, the pediatrician is looking for multiple other factors to ascertain a normal or abnormal growth pattern. Genetics, parental health and habits, and environmental factors have a huge impact on your baby’s growth chart measurements.
How Much Should My Baby’s Head Grow Each Month?
Baby head circumference charts allow your pediatrician to track the growth of your baby’s brain. Remember, the size of your baby’s skull is reflective of your baby’s brain growth. Your baby’s fontanel, that is, soft spots on the head closes roughly around 18 months of age. Hence, after the age of two, the head doesn’t grow much.
- The head is supposed to grow about half an inch each month. That said, every child is different, and a few points here, and there do not mean much.
- Your baby’s head size increases rapidly in the first four months. By the end of your baby’s first year, the head circumference measures close to 18 inches. In the next year, it grows about an inch or so more, bringing the head close to adult size.
- However, if your baby’s head is significantly larger or smaller than the previous check-up, the doctor may look for typical signs of developmental delays. These are reflected through delayed physical, emotional, or mental milestones.
- If the baby’s head circumference measures much greater than that recorded during their previous visit, the doctor may recommend a CT scan to observe the brain and look for signs of hydrocephalus – extra fluid surrounding the brain.
- If the baby’s head measures much smaller than that recorded during their previous visit, the doctor may cross-refer this with the weight and length of your baby. In case these parameters also denote loss in numbers and lower percentiles, then the doctor may be concerned about the failure to thrive that signals brain malformation. However, these cases are very rare.
Head Circumference Chart of Boys by Age (Birth to 12 Months)
Below is the reference chart for the normal length (height), weight, and head circumference of newborn boys.
| Age (in months) | 3rd Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 10th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 50th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 75th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 97th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) |
| 0 | 31.48762 | 33.08389 | 35.81367 | 37.00426 | 38.85417 |
| 0.5 | 33.25006 | 34.67253 | 37.19361 | 38.32125 | 40.10028 |
| 1.5 | 35.78126 | 36.97377 | 39.20743 | 40.24987 | 41.94138 |
| 2.5 | 37.5588 | 38.60724 | 40.65233 | 41.63968 | 43.28181 |
| 3.5 | 38.89944 | 39.85123 | 41.76517 | 42.71455 | 44.32733 |
| 4.5 | 39.95673 | 40.84114 | 42.66116 | 43.58358 | 45.17877 |
| 5.5 | 40.81642 | 41.65291 | 43.40489 | 44.30801 | 45.893 |
| 6.5 | 41.53109 | 42.3333 | 44.0361 | 44.92555 | 46.50524 |
| 7.5 | 42.13521 | 42.91311 | 44.58097 | 45.46104 | 47.0388 |
| 8.5 | 42.65253 | 43.41365 | 45.05761 | 45.93166 | 47.5099 |
| 9.5 | 43.10009 | 43.85025 | 45.47908 | 46.34979 | 47.93027 |
| 10.5 | 43.49049 | 44.23432 | 45.85506 | 46.72463 | 48.30867 |
| 11.5 | 43.83332 | 44.57454 | 46.19295 | 47.06318 | 48.65181 |
| 12.5 | 44.136 | 44.87767 | 46.49853 | 47.37091 | 48.96494 |
Head Circumference Chart of Girls by Age (Birth to 12 Months)
Below is the reference chart for the normal length (height), weight, and head circumference of newborn girls.
| Age (in months) | 3rd Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 10th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 50th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 75th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) | 97th Percentile Head Circumference (in centimeters) |
| 0 | 31.9302 | 32.75949 | 34.71156 | 35.85124 | 38.1211 |
| 0.5 | 33.38071 | 34.17346 | 36.03454 | 37.11807 | 39.27006 |
| 1.5 | 35.48627 | 36.23326 | 37.97672 | 38.98533 | 40.97482 |
| 2.5 | 36.9855 | 37.70685 | 39.38013 | 40.34145 | 42.22321 |
| 3.5 | 38.13114 | 38.83814 | 40.46774 | 41.39732 | 43.2026 |
| 4.5 | 39.04619 | 39.74588 | 41.34841 | 42.25604 | 44.00486 |
| 5.5 | 39.7996 | 40.49672 | 42.08335 | 42.97566 | 44.68183 |
| 6.5 | 40.43379 | 41.13171 | 42.71034 | 43.59207 | 45.26563 |
| 7.5 | 40.97672 | 41.67787 | 43.25429 | 44.12897 | 45.77751 |
| 8.5 | 41.44768 | 42.15391 | 43.7325 | 44.60282 | 46.23224 |
| 9.5 | 41.86058 | 42.5733 | 44.15743 | 45.0255 | 46.64053 |
| 10.5 | 42.22575 | 42.94604 | 44.53837 | 45.40587 | 47.01035 |
| 11.5 | 42.55105 | 43.27977 | 44.88241 | 45.75072 | 47.3478 |
| 12.5 | 42.8426 | 43.58043 | 45.19508 | 46.06532 | 47.65766 |
Measurement of the head circumference is an important process, and regular measurements and check-ups must be an integral part of every child’s care and wellness plan. Timely measurement of the head circumference can lead to early detection of conditions such as microencaphaly which leads to intellectual delay, and other conditions such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, cardiac, urinary, renal, or skeletal anomalies, language delay, and ophthalmologic disorders. Early detection of such conditions can help parents make informed decisions with regard to treatment plans, and other dietary and surgical interventions. In the long run, children benefit from such interventions and other developmental, physical, and occupational therapy sessions.
FAQ’s
1. Is 31 cm Head Circumference Normal?
No, a head circumference of 31 cm is much below the expected standards in a newborn baby and may indicate an underlying problem.
2. What if Head Circumference is Small?
A smaller head circumference indicates a condition called microencephaly. The condition may occur when the baby’s brain doesn’t develop properly when in the mother’s womb or stops growing after the baby is born.
Read Also: Indian Baby Weight and Height Chart – 0 to 12 Months
