Swollen temples might alarm parents when they examine their newborn baby. Birth puts significant stress on the baby’s head and some swelling to the temple areas might result, but most symptoms often disappear quickly. Consult your physician if you notice anything about your newborn’s appearance that worries you.

Caput

There is swelling on the head that results from the birth process. As the baby is being born, fluid is squeezed into the scalp and it may result in in swelling in the top of the head near the temples. The caput — the fluid causing the swelling — is present right after birth and disappears in a few days.

Cephalohematoma

A lump on one side of the head may develop when blood collects under the skin near the skull. As the baby’s head is squeezed by the mother’s pelvic bones during the birth process, swelling appears. This may appear on the second day of life and the lump may grow for a few days. The lump will usually go away after two or three months.

Molding of the Head

This is commonly referred to as a cone-shaped head and it may result as the baby passes through the mother’s birth canal. The head gets compressed and it may make the temples look swollen in comparison with the top of the head.

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid in the spaces that surround the brain and within the brain itself. It can lead to extreme swelling in the skull and around the temples. CSF travels through ventricles in the brain, travels around the outside of the brain and then is reabsorbed through the blood stream. When it is not reabsorbed or the ventricles are blocked, hydrocephalus may occur.