Re: Large Heads

[Guest guest]

> Is there anyone out there who's kids have large heads for their age?

Jen:

I do know that large heads are common among kids with autism, and Putter's

head is bigger than my other kids, although not so big that anyone ever

commented on it, including the pediatrician.

>

> ' head is pretty large for his age and has been in question since

he was 4 or 5 months old.

>

> However he has just turned 2 and it is still growing at around 1 cm per

month or so.

Wow. But I don't know what the usual is?

He is currently at almost 56cm at 2yr's of age.

>

> On our growth charts that we use here 97 % of kids for 2 yrs are smaller

than around 52 cm. For 3 yr olds the same 97% of kids heads are just over

53cm. (When I look at it that way, all I can think is Holy Shit!!)

Yeah.

>

> We do have biggish heads in our family. was born with a 39cm

head at 38 weeks (Caesar by the way!!) but it obviously slowed down and is

now 54.5 cm at almost 5 years of age. It just astounds me the difference

between the two, realising that being a boy will be larger, but by

this much??

>

> The pead feels that if big heads are part of the family and there are no

signs of Hydrocephalus that everything should be OK.

That sounds good, but I no longer totally trust pediatrician's since I have

seen how often they totally blow it on autism.

>

> I am just getting a little more concerned as it is still growing at such a

rate. (Not easy for shirts and Bibs let me tell you) And with all the

Autistic characteristics he has I feel I cannot dismiss it that easily

anymore.

>

I guess I'd just do what you are doing and look into possible causes and see

if any thing seems likely.

Sorry to be so little help; maybe someone else here will have better

answers.

Salli

[Guest guest]

> Is there anyone out there who's kids have large heads for their age?

I don't know of any stdies about head size and Autism it wouls be interesting

to hear of one though.

Sully 13 1/2 inches at birth

Chenoa 15 in

Trevayne 14 3/4

set 14 1/2 (two weeks early)

BTW Sully was the only one born vaginally and that was just barely. I found

this quip on newborn head size:

Normal term newborn head circumference: 33 to

38 cm; which is 13 to 15 inches.

also found this article

http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/sh/health/stories/health-157668720020725-0807\

57.html

It discusses brain size/ head size and autistics.

CHRIS

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen, Andy has a very large head in proportion to the rest of his

body. He always has. From when he was born , his head circumference

was on the 75th percentile and his weight and length were always on

the 25th percentile. The docs have never made any comment on the

circumference of his head, BUT they have commented on his very low

set ears and his very very large forehead. But even though they

passed comment, they never gave any explantion for it and they were

not concerned.

Ali

[Guest guest]

A couple months ago I heard at the local Autism support group that a

study had just been completed showing that large heads in infancy could

be a diagnostic tool with Autism. I'm so sorry that I don't know who,

what, where or even what the actual results were. I was so new to

Autism at the time that I was having trouble absorbing it all and I

didn't ask for a copy of the test that they had available at that

meeting. I only remember it because of thinking that my son had always

had such a big head (not at birth - it was average, but soon afterward

in his growth) and also since I'm a midwife that info stuck with me.

I'll try to ask about it with our local group at our next meeting.

Sorry Jen. Don't take it as gospel from me, but that is what I remember

at this point.

~ Karin

[Guest guest]

I don't know what to think about this. All three of my boys heads are huge. They

were always over the 95% in size. 2 out of the 3 boys are on the spectrum ( at

least I think is). Actually it might be all 3 but is very mild

and mostly lacks social skills and common sense. Most people would blame that on

homeschooling him but truth be told it's been there since preschool when he did

go. The group would be sitting there in circle and he'd be in his own world

refusing to do group activities.

Anyway I'm intrested in knowing about this

Love

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[Guest guest]

I dont think my kids have big heads. But I have no idea. I think Yessenia has a

funny shaped head.

Jacquie H

Large Heads

Hi Everyone,

Is there anyone out there who's kids have large heads for their age?

' head is pretty large for his age and has been in question since he

was 4 or 5 months old.

However he has just turned 2 and it is still growing at around 1 cm per month

or so. He is currently at almost 56cm at 2yr's of age.

On our growth charts that we use here 97 % of kids for 2 yrs are smaller than

around 52 cm. For 3 yr olds the same 97% of kids heads are just over 53cm. (When

I look at it that way, all I can think is Holy Shit!!)

We do have biggish heads in our family. was born with a 39cm head at

38 weeks (Caesar by the way!!) but it obviously slowed down and is now 54.5 cm

at almost 5 years of age. It just astounds me the difference between the two,

realising that being a boy will be larger, but by this much??

The pead feels that if big heads are part of the family and there are no signs

of Hydrocephalus that everything should be OK.

I am just getting a little more concerned as it is still growing at such a

rate. (Not easy for shirts and Bibs let me tell you) And with all the Autistic

characteristics he has I feel I cannot dismiss it that easily anymore.

Anyone else with similar situation, past or knowledge on the subject would be

much appreciated.

Take care,

Jen

[Guest guest]

I also have heard this is common in children with autism.

's head was actually small and he did not have soft spots, so we

worried about his skull sutures closing too early.

If it worries you, by all means check into it further. I'm sorry I don't

know any more about it.

-Sara.

[Guest guest]

My son had no soft spots either. We were afraid they'd have to

surgically open his suture lines in his skull. Neuro all checked out

fine, but his head was normal size at birth.

-- In parenting_autism , " The Byks " <thebyks@e...>

wrote:

> I also have heard this is common in children with autism.

>

> 's head was actually small and he did not have soft spots,

so we

> worried about his skull sutures closing too early.

>

> If it worries you, by all means check into it further. I'm sorry I

don't

> know any more about it.

>

> -Sara.

[Guest guest]

> My son had no soft spots either. We were afraid they'd have to

> surgically open his suture lines in his skull. Neuro all checked out

> fine, but his head was normal size at birth.

Yup yup. That's exactly what we went through. They did tell us it was

unlikely as his head had obviously molded for birth - it looked like a

kidney bean! - but they can close afterwards as well as before birth.

-Sara.

[Guest guest]

Children's heads are 2/3 the size of their adult size. Greggory fits Jeff's hats

for the most part but that is not uncommon.

Jacquie H

Re: Large Heads

>

> Here he is wearing an adult-sized man's hat. It was his dad's until Boone

> decided he couldn't live without it.

Come to think of it, all Marc's hats fit .

I just assumed it was because was so much bigger than other kids, but

he's not SO much bigger than them any more. I always thought he had a

monstrous head, but his father's entire side of the family does, too, so

I've never worried about it. I wonder if I should check into this or not?

Jacquie

[Guest guest]

rowan definitely had a big pumpkin head at birth >ouch< and we always

thought he had a really big head but it has evened out over time and i would

say now (age 6) it is average. i remember one of the people i attended the

international autism symposium with attended a worskshop i didn't on brain

biology and she definitely said there was evidence of larger brain size in

autistics and therefore bigger head circumfrence. this was due to a

particular part of the brain bing enlarged - i'll have to ask her for all

the details. if i remember correctly they even spoke of introducing head

circumfrence as a diagnostic tool in the diagnosing process. like i said, i

wasn't in this workshop, i'll ask cheryl for more info when she gets back

from holidays later this week. i am sure she could tell me the researchers

name and some links.

michelle mg

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[Guest guest]

>

> Here he is wearing an adult-sized man's hat. It was his dad's until Boone

> decided he couldn't live without it.

Come to think of it, all Marc's hats fit .

I just assumed it was because was so much bigger than other kids, but

he's not SO much bigger than them any more. I always thought he had a

monstrous head, but his father's entire side of the family does, too, so

I've never worried about it. I wonder if I should check into this or not?

Jacquie

[Guest guest]

>>>>i remember one of the people i attended the international autism

>>>>symposium with attended a worskshop i didn't on brain biology and she

>>>>definitely said there was evidence of larger brain size in autistics and

>>>>therefore bigger head circumfrence. this was due to a particular part

>>>>of the brain bing enlarged - i'll have to ask her for all the details.

>>>>if i remember correctly they even spoke of introducing head

circumfrence as a diagnostic tool in the diagnosing process.<<<<

just responding to my own post here! i checked my programme and the speaker

i was thinking of was named Dr. Courchesne, head of Neurobiology at

University of California San Diego. i have no links to his research but

those interested could google him i am sure.

michelle mg

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[Guest guest]

This is something I have wondered about too somewhat, but since my dh

wears a very large hat size it is not so uncommon for his children to

have large heads, even if they also are spectrum children. My

mother, who definitely has many autistic traits and surely would have

been dx'd today as a child, has a very small head which none of my

children seem to have inherited. So that puts me right back to I

have no idea.

[Guest guest]

My two cents on head size -

Twin one - large head (50% for age- when the rest of him isn't even

on the chart (they're short and underweight)

Twin two - mr. classically autistic - small to normal head (small in

comparision to his twins)

Go figure -

- , Sam and Max's mom

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Thanks for your input. I will take a look at these sites. You guys are

great, I new I would be able to find more stuff if I asked you.

As for the discussion about head size at the Autism Conference. That was

here in the land of Oz in November last year. It was Courchesne who

presented that paper and it was all over the news here. It really pricked up

my hears when I heard that.

To , my dh's cousin was somewhat delayed (she is now 27 yrs old)

Doctors were concerned for her as her head size was very small. I think her

parents refused to believe anything could be wrong. I think she would now

qualify to be on the spectrum.

Also, I forgot to mention that we do have a neurologist appt in April. So we

will wait and see. Don't you hate it when you send the email and then

remember things you wanted to include in it.

Thanks again to all,

Jen

[Guest guest]

>>> I am just getting a little more concerned as it is still growing at such

a rate. (Not easy for shirts and Bibs let me tell you) And with all the

Autistic characteristics he has I feel I cannot dismiss it that easily

anymore.<<<

Large head?

Boone's head looks way too large for his body:

http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/b_main_c.gif

This is his class pic from pre-k. He's the biggest kid in class. Actually

he's about the same size as the black kid sitting next to him, but look at

the difference in head size:

http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/boonesclass.htm

Here he is wearing an adult-sized man's hat. It was his dad's until Boone

decided he couldn't live without it. It fits perfectly. Dad is 6'3 " tall:

http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/booneclockpic.jpg

All of his doctors have commented on his head size. Not that they offered

any advice or anything, just said things like, " wow look at the size of this

kid's head! "

We did do an X-ray last year and found that his skull sutures were not yet

closed. They usually close by age two. He was four at the time. Doc said it

wasn't much to worry about -- happens in 10% of kids and meant the brain was

still growing ...

Which in Boone's case could be a good thing.

Sissi

[Guest guest]

Jen,

had a large round head at birth and ended up c-section. He was

monitored for head circumference for quite awhile and Dr.s felt he was

borderline macrocephalic. Perfectly normal in proportion as he got older

though.

Sue

[Guest guest]

> > 's head was actually small and he did not have soft spots,

> so we

> > worried about his skull sutures closing too early.

> >

Boone still has a soft spot at age five, only it's not like a baby's where

you can see it beating with their heartbeat, it's soft and indented, but

very firm.

That's what lead to the skull X-rays to begin with.

Sissi

[Guest guest]

> A couple months ago I heard at the local Autism support group that a

> study had just been completed showing that large heads in infancy could

> be a diagnostic tool with Autism.

Karin,

You're right! I knew I had read something about this so I checked the

archives of the FEAT newsletter. Here's the link to the article and an

excerpt:

http://www.feat.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0008E & L=FEATNEWS & P=R396 & I=-3

2. Practice Parameter: Screening and Diagnosis of Autism

[The following is part 2 of 3 installments on the new screening

guidelines as they are detailed in the American Academy of Neurology and the

Child Neurology Society report. This is a must-read for advocates, parents

with kids on the spectrum or " suspecting " and a good review of the current

best as well as questionable and inappropriate screens and tests for autism.

For a definitive diagnosis, you must rely on a trained medical professional.

Reference notes are eliminated in this reprint. The Guidelines, in their

entirety, are available at http://www.aap.org/policy/autism.html in Adobe

Reader format.]

Large head circumference without frank neuropathology. Children with autism

have a larger head circumference; only a small proportion have frank

macrocephaly. Large head size may not necessarily be present at birth, but

may appear in early to mid-childhood, perhaps indicating an increased rate

of brain growth. Neuroimaging studies in autism also found larger brain

volumes without associated neuropathology.

Sissi