Payton's Check Up

     Payton had a check up yesterday as well. She was 28 lbs (75th percentile) and 33 inches (50th percentile). Her height and weight are following a perfect growth curve. However her head expanded by another full centimeter. It is not following a typical growth curve. Even from birth she has always had a large head, but it has been off the chart since she was 9 months old,  and it the last 6 months her head growth has trended at an angle that is significantly above the normal rate of growth. Dr. Melton has become concerned about the possibility of hydrocephalus. She is being referred to a Pediatric Neurosurgeon in Memphis. I am very nervous about this, but I am so ready to go to the specialist and find out what is going on. Dr. Melton said there is still a chance she just has a large head due to genetics and there is no other problem, but he'd rather her get checked out and be safe than for her not to go and there actually be something wrong.

     Rylee Love is 3 years and 3 months older than Payt, and you can see here that their heads are about the same size (Payt's is actually a little bit larger), even though her face is much smaller than her sister's. This is what is causing the concern. The good news is she has absolutely no developmental delays, so Dr Melton seems to think even if there is something going on, it's nothing too serious.

     She is still one of the most beautiful girls in the world to me and I am praying that there is nothing wrong. I do not want her to have to go through brain surgery or anything like that. I am even more scared of the possible causes especially the thought of a tumor. I keep telling myself her development is on track so the odds of something like that are slim, but it is really easy to be anxious about all this until we see the specialist and find out what is really going on. Please pray for my precious baby. I cannot imagine my world without her huge smile and even bigger personality. She is such a sweet, smart girl. She knows her name, can count to 12, knows her colors, is learning her letters. She can walk and run and dance and play. It just really doesn't seem like there is anything wrong.