Where There Is No Doctor 2011 9
SUNKEN FONTANEL OR SOFT SPOT
The fontanel is the soft spot on the top of a newborn
baby’s head. It is where the bones of his skull have not
formed completely. Normally it takes a year to a year
and a half for the soft spot to close completely.
Mothers in different lands realize that when the soft
spot sinks inward their babies are in danger. They have
many beliefs to explain this. In Latin America mothers
think the baby’s brains have slipped downward. They
try to correct this by sucking on the soft spot, by
pushing up on the roof of the mouth, or by holding the
baby upside down and slapping his feet. This does not
help because… A sunken soft spot is really caused
by dehydration (see p. 151).
This means the child is losing more liquid than
he is drinking. He is too dry—usually because he has
diarrhea, or diarrhea with vomiting.
Treatment:
1. Give the child plenty of liquid: Rehydration Drink (see p. 152), breast milk, or
boiled water.
2. If necessary, treat the causes of the diarrhea and vomiting (see p. 152 to
161). For most diarrheas, medicine is not needed, and may do more harm
than good.
TO CURE A SUNKEN SOFT SPOT.
.
DO NOT
DO THIS
DO THIS
(MAGIC CURES
WILL NOT HELP
EITHER)
OR DO THIS
Note: If the soft spot is swollen or bulges upward, this may be a sign of meningitis.
Begin treatment at once (see p. 185), and get medical help.