Sunken Fontanel by Pulling Out Nipple: Mollera Caida Myth

Have you heard that a sunken fontanel in babies may be due to pulling out the nipple too hard when the baby is feeding?

This is a Hispanic folk myth. Read a dad’s question about it here are what a sunken fontanel is more likely to indicate.

Dad’s Question:
I’ve heard that if you pull a baby’s bottle out of his/her mouth directly and too fast that it can cause his/her fontanel to drop or cave in because of the suction.

I’ve heard that when you pull a baby’s bottle out it should be gently and somewhat to the side so it breaks the seal of the suction and slightly opens the mouth, therefore, allowing the parent to pull the bottle out w/o the suction.

Is this true?

Steven Martinez Jazcquez

The Mollera Caida (Sunken Fontanel) – An Interesting Folk Myth

What you are referring to is a Hispanic folk illness called Mollera Caida (or caida de la mollera) – “Sunken Fontanel”. The fontanelles are the baby’s so called “soft spots”.

While modern medicine stipulates that a sunken fontanel is most often an indication of dehydration, the Hispanic folk myth is that it is due to e.g. pulling the nipple out of a baby’s mouth too quickly. According to tradition, mollera caida can alos occur due to someoe giving the baby the evil eye.

Due to the completely different interpretations of the underlying causes, the remedies differ too.

In modern medicine, we treat dehydration with liquid either by feeding the baby or in severe cases through a drip in her arm, or through tubes inserted into her nose, and, of course, by finding out and treating why a baby is dehydrated.

In traditional Mexican folk medicine, the treatment of Mollera Caida is pushing up on the inside of the palate, on the roof of the infant’s mouth. Other treatments include holding the baby upside down, sucking on the top of the fontanel with one’s mouth, or applying raw egg or oil to the fontanel. These traditional remedies are not likely to help the baby at all and might even be dangerous.

Even if pulling out a nipple hard and quickly is likely to be uncomfortable for your child and hence should be avoided, it is very unlikely to be the cause of a sunken fontanel.

Instead, dehydration or other illness might be the cause and the baby should be examined by a pediatrician.

Hope this helps,

Paula

Research References

Culture and Dehydration: A Comparative Study of Caída de la Mollera (Fallen Fontanel) in Three Latino Populations

Have you heard about mollera caida before? Or have you experienced a baby with a sunken fontanel? Share your thoughts below!

Paula Dennholt

Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.

Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.