Severe hypernatremic dehydration can cause serious neurological complications in neonates. The most significant problems include brain oedema, intracranial haemorrhage, sinus thrombosis, haemorrhagic infarcts and permanent brain damage. The symptoms of many of these complications are similar. With respect to brain MRI findings in hypernatremic neonates, this is a report that describes linear lesions that represent intracranial haemorrhage at the grey–white matter junction. These MRI findings may be helpful for diagnosing hypernatremic dehydration, and for ruling out differential diagnoses for complications of this disorder.