We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Infants with malnutrition will almost always display other signs, including: Malnutrition can result from a calorie deficit or an underlying condition, such as malabsorption syndrome. It is also possible, though uncommon, for a sunken fontanel to be a sign of malnutrition.

Other symptoms will usually be present and can include: More severe cases will require immediate medical attention to avoid complications.Ī sunken fontanel can be a sign of dehydration. This can happen for a many reasons, including:ĭehydration in children can range from mild to severe.

Image credit: Nojhan, 2005.ĭehydration is the primary cause of a sunken fontanel.ĭehydration occurs when an infant does not have sufficient fluid in their body to maintain normal functioning. Share on Pinterest A baby’s skull can have a soft spot, which is called a fontanel.