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Delayed closure of the fontanelles

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Normally fontanelles close in the first two years of life; it is hard to feel an open fontanelle after one year. Causes of delayed closure include:

  • hydrocephalus
  • trisomies - particularly Down's syndrome
  • congenital hypothyroidism
  • skeletal dysplasias, such as achondroplasia or Russell-Silver dwarfism
  • metabolic causes such as mucopolysaccharidoses

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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