Any abnormality with a new born baby can be extremely distressing. No one wants anything to be wrong with their precious new child. Caput succedaneum and cephalohematoma are two very common defects that occur in the head of new born children. While they may be a mouth full to pronounce, they are not as serious as they may sound, but should be examined and monitored. Let’s take a look at some important information about each of these conditions and what makes them so different.
Caput Succedaneum Overview
1. Basics
Caput succedaneum is a problem with a new born where the scalp is swollen. It is a fairly common problem that happens during childbirth and poses no risk or complication to the health of the child.
2. Symptoms
Symptoms of caput succedaneum include swelling on the scalp of a newborn baby, swelling that may go to both sides, and possible bruising of the part of the scalp that is swollen. This is painless for the infant and requires no treatment, it will subside and go away on it’s own.
3. Risk
The biggest risk associated with caput succedaneum is a very high chance of develoing jaundice. Jaundice occurs due to an excess amount of bilirubin and causes yellow coloration of the skin and eyes. This risk is present because of the bruising that may be present in caput succedaneum.
Information About Cephalohematoma
1. Overview
Cephalohematoma is a traumatic hematoma that happens in the periosteum of a newborn infant’s head. It causes a pool of blood to form between the skull and layers of the skin. It does not pose risk to the brain because it is contained outside the skull.
2. Symptoms
Symptoms of cephalohematoma are often unnoticeable because they are internal. Infections, jaundice, anemia, and any type of unnatural bulging in the head area. If your baby is showing any of these signs or symptoms it is important to have them examined by a medical professional.
3.Treatment
Many babies with a cephalohematoma, the issue will resolve on it’s own. It usually takes only a couple of months before the cephalohematoma to heal. In some severe cases doctors may try to drain the blood that has built up. If the build up is so large that it has lowered the infant’s red blood cell count than a transfusion may be necessary.
Differences Between Caput Succedaneum and Cephalohematoma
1. What It Is
Caput Succedaneum and cephalohematoma’s in new born children are different in one big way. Caput succedaneum only affects the outer layers of the scalp, causing swelling. Cephalohematoma is an internal problem that causes blood to pool between the skin and the skull.
2. Treatment
Treatment is rarely needed for either of these problems that can occur at birth. However, with cephaloematoma some cases do require surgical draining of blood build up and possibly blood transfusions are necessary.
3. Symptoms
The symptoms that are present in each of these medical conditions are also quite different from each other. Caput succedaneum only causes one symptom, the visible swelling of all of, or part of, the scalp on the baby. With cephalohematoma the injury may not be visible at all. This is because it is an internal issue that occurs within the head.