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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo determine whether your child has microcephaly, your doctor likely will take a thorough prenatal, birth and family history and do a physical exam. He or she will measure the circumference of your child's head, compare it with a growth chart, and remeasure and plot the growth at subsequent visits. Parents' head sizes also may be measured to determine whether small heads run in the family.
In some cases, particularly if your child's development is delayed, your doctor may request tests such as a head CT scan or MRI and blood tests to help determine the underlying cause of the delay.
References
- Hay WW,.et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6585048. Accessed April 8, 2012.
- NINDS microcephaly information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/microcephaly/microcephaly.htm. Accessed April 8, 2012.
- Boom JA. Etiology and evaluation of microcephaly in infants. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed April 8, 2012.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 10, 2012.
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