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Assessing The Skull and Face-Word

The skull is composed of 7 bones that are connected by sutures. Brain growth continues until age 6 while ossification does not occur until adulthood. When assessing the skull and face, the healthcare provider should inquire about any relevant medical history, inspect the skull for size, shape and symmetry, palpate the skull for masses or depressions, inspect facial features for symmetry, inspect the eyes for edema, and note symmetry of facial movements. Considerations for infants include elongated or molded heads, open fontanels, and lack of voluntary head control.

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malyn1218
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1K views

Assessing The Skull and Face-Word

The skull is composed of 7 bones that are connected by sutures. Brain growth continues until age 6 while ossification does not occur until adulthood. When assessing the skull and face, the healthcare provider should inquire about any relevant medical history, inspect the skull for size, shape and symmetry, palpate the skull for masses or depressions, inspect facial features for symmetry, inspect the eyes for edema, and note symmetry of facial movements. Considerations for infants include elongated or molded heads, open fontanels, and lack of voluntary head control.

Uploaded by

malyn1218
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ASSESSING THE SKULL AND FACE

Anatomy of the Head


• Skull composed of 7 Bones
– 2 Frontal
– 2 Temporal
– 2 Parietal
– 1 Occipital
• Brain Growth Continues
Until Age 6 Years
Ossification does not
Occur Until Adulthood
• Posterior Fontanel
Closes by 2 Months of Age
• Bones connected by Sutures
– Coronal
– Sagittal
– Lambdoidal
– Squamous
• Anterior Fontanel Closes by 24 Months of Age
• Fused Facial Bones:
– Frontal
– Zygomatic
– Nasal
– Ethmoid
– Lacrimal
– Sphenoid
– Maxillary
• Movable Facial Bone
– Mandible
• Facial Landmarks
– Palpebral Fissures
– Nasolabial Folds

Assessing the Skull and Face


1. Inquire if the client has any history of the following:
 Past problems with lumps or bumps, itching,
scaling or dandruff
 History of loss of consciousness, dizziness,
seizures, headache, facial pain or injury
 When and how any lumps occurred
 Length of time any problem existed

2. Inspect the skull for size, shape and symmetry


 Rounded, normocephalic
 Smooth skull contour
 Lack of symmetry
 Longer mandible
3. Palpate the skull for nodules or masses and
depressions
 Smooth, uniform consistency
4. Inspect facial features
 Symmetric or slightly asymmetric facial
features, palpebral features equal in size,
symmetric nasolabial folds
 Increased facial hair, thinning of eyebrows,
assymetric features, exopthalmos,
myxedema
5. Inspect the eyes for edema and hollowness
 Periorbital edema
 Sunken eyes
6. Note symmetry of facial movements
 Symmetric facial movements
 Drooping of lower eyelid and mouth
 Involuntary facial movements

Lifespan Considerations:
Infants:
 Newborns can have elongated, molded
heads
 Anterior and posterior fontanel
 Voluntary head control

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