Behavior in Infancy as Observed from Size and Shape of Fontanel
1959 Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 299-318,A22
Details
1959 Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 299-318,A22
From June 1956 to December 1958, the size of the anterior fontanel was measUred in 1, 549 infants, whose age ranged 0-14 months, in Hongo area, Tokyo. As a result it was found that the size of the anterior fontanel increased in the first 1-2 months after birth and decreased gradually. Compared to the infants in the Meiji era, the infants of to-day are much superior in various physical factors such as body weight, stature, head circumference and others. At the same time the fontanel tends to close early. This is a world-wide tendency.
This fact seems to indicate not only an early closure of the fontanel, namely the rapid growth of the bone tissus surrounding it, but the smooth enlargement of head circumfe rence, namely smooth development of the brain which extends the skull.
It is supposed that this early closure of the fontanel is greatly related to the change of nutritional state of infants: it is to be ascribed to intake of much vitamins and calcium in infancy and high protein feeding-artificial feeding after the 6 th month and early commencement and early completion of weaning. Beside them, sunshine to infants and mothers' age and physique seem to be correlated.
Furthermore, the shape of the fontanel and the type of the head were examined in 672 infants under 2 year of age. The length-width index of the head was larger than in adults and was over 90 in almost all age groups. The shapes of the fontanel was classified into 9 groups. Group A was most frequent and the order of frequency was: A, B, C, B. C, D, F1, and F2. As for the relation of the shape of the fontanel to the type of the head, Group A was frequent in infants with long head and Groups C and D in those with short head. However, as the closure approached, Group A gradually changed into Groups C and D. Among mono-ovular twins their fontanels changed similarly. Abnormalities of the fontanel were found in 2 cases, both in female, which showed no other type of abnormality (e. g. nutritional).
