Flat Head!

[Trix]

I've noticed my little girl (9 weeks old) is starting to get a little flat area on the back of her head, which obviously comes from sleeping on her back (which everyone keeps telling me to do).

I don't want it to get worse, i've seen babies with really flat heads and also saw something once on "today tonight" or something like that which showed babies who had to wear helmets to get their heads back into shape!!

How do I stop it from getting worse?

Will the current flat spot go back to normal eventually??

[Lunar]

It probably will return to normal over time. Kailah has a slightly flattened head too. I just try to give her as much time as possible on her tummy and sides when she is awake. Just try to do the same, it just eases the constant pressure on the back of the head, and tummy time is so important anyways. Kailah loves tummy time.

[Trix]

Thanks Kris!

I try to put her on her tummy every day, but she really really hates it! She won't lift her head properly, she just winges and eventually gets really upset.

Her neck control is quite good, except when she's on her tummy. I guess i just have to persist!

[Lunar]

Try rolling up a bunny rug or cloth nappy and putting it under her arms and along her chest (IYKWIM?) this way she HAS to hold her head up, she can't rest it on the floor. Try this only for a minute or so, and roll her over if she gets too upset. Also try some play on her sides, place a pillow behind her so she can't roll on her back.

[Trix]

Good advice - i'll definitely try that!

THANKS!

[missolive]

Hi Trix,

Yes the baby flat head is a common thing now with babies sleeping on their backs for the first few months.

My Dd developed a flat spot on the back side of her head around 2 and a half months old. Since then its been a long road of physios after she was diagnosed with torticollis (tight left neck muscle), and we have seen a paediatrition, been to the head clinic and just missed out on needing a helmet.

If your little ones flat spot is at the back of the head it is better, for its less likely to cause uneven ears, pushed out forehead etc. Tummy time is important, but you will find that once your little one starts rolling and sitting etc things get better. Maybe try hanging mobiles etc to the left or right of the cot (so that baby has to look left or right and is off that flat spot). It seemed to me that many of the health care professionals don't seem too worried about it anyway. :)

[LittleBoysRock]

DS started to get a bit of a flat head. We used to roll up a blanket or towel and give him tummy time with his head resting on the towel until he could hold it up himself. This took no time at all and his head is beautiful and round now.

I do know somebody how had problems with her DS's head so I was a little bit paranoid, in most cases it is fine though.

Goodluck. :)

[li'l mac]

My DS had one whole side of his head flat from sleeping with his head on the side. I tried a special horseshoe shaped pillow to encourage him to sleep on the other side of his head etc but he just kept rolling back to his favourite side. I always made sure I gave him heaps of tummy time, put toys on the side of the pram that I wanted him to face etc but in the end I don't think it made a great deal of difference. Once he started moving around more in his sleep and eventually sleeping on his side he would alternate his position a bit more. He is now 7 months and it's back to normal.

A couple of friends' bubs had the same problem with the same result. One of them went to see a paed who commented that though he sees alot of babies with a flat spot on their head, he never saw any children with it. Sooooo, it must correct itself anyway.

As for the helmet, aparently they have only been recently released and there is no research to support their use (this was from that same paed). They are about $500 too!!!

All in all, do what you can to encourage your bub to move around when awake but don't worry about the long term. :)

[Tam-I-Am]

My DD also had a flat spot on her head (its called a plagiocephaly), and I took her to a really well renowned paediatric chiropractor in the region - they gave me the following information on a sheet -

Quote:
It seems that babies with flat spots on their heads are far more common than they used to be. The cause is often linked to the more recent practice of sleeping babies on their back to minimize the risk of SIDS. While sleeping posture may contribute to an increase in babies with flat spots on their head it is not the only reason. In some infants the distorted head shape will resolve at an early age, for others it persists. The question of why it only develops in some babies, regardless of sleeping position, and the consequences on the development of the child are important. Chiropractic research can offer some answers to these questions.
Does it matter if my baby has a flat spot?
Yes. Recently published research has shown that if the abnormal head shape remains unresolved, unequal brain development may occur wiht subsequent school learning problems developing. It has the capcity to prevent a child from reaching their maximum potential.
Treatment
When a child is put back into structural balance with gentle, safe, chiropractic adjustments the natural growth of the brain will push the head slowly and permanently back into shape. Children who have chiropractic care respond best when that care is given early in life, preferably before they are four months old. The commonness of this problem today and its potential consequences is a key reason why infant health care is of life long benefit.

I also found this link on it http://kidshealth.org/parent/general...iocephaly.html (http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/positional_plagiocephaly.html)

I don't know about the helmets, but I took DD to the chiro when she was 6 months old. It was pretty severe (25 degrees out) and she is 11 months old now and it has resolved - she no longer has the plagiocephaly. It might be worth seeing a paediatric chiro.

[Nan]

Thanks for the info Clarabelle! My DD has a flat spot on on side and when she sleeps her neck tilts and favours that side. I booked her into a paed. chiro. just yesterday. Looking forward to seeing some results! :fingerscrossed:
In the mean time what I do is go into her room once she has fallen asleep and use two hands to gently tilt her head to the other side. (when I remember!:o )
Love,
Nan. xx

[Tam-I-Am]

No worries, Nan, my pleasure!

Love Tami

[nkenward]

Hi there,

I was advised to put a rolled up blanket on there side and tilt them so they aren't lying directly on their backs. Then alternate sides at each sleep. That way they aren't going to favour a side.

We did this for about 6-8 weeks, then realised that he didn't really have a favourite side - as each time I looked in on him he was on a different side anyway.

But whether that first 6-8 weeks actually helped - not too sure. But it didn't hurt him to try.

[arthursmum]

Our son has a flat head (plagiocephaly)and has been going to an osteopath for about 9 weeks now (once a week). His head was like a trapezoid & after many trials and errors with cushions, rolled up towels, etc, we now have a long cushion under his sheet which he lies against. It goes under his shoulders, ribs and hips ('cos i don't wanna take him for treatment for back problems!)
He would grab the towels/cushions and thrash about with them and end up with them on his face.:thumbsdown: i had given up with that until a different osteo suggested the 'under sheet' action. (can't believe we didn't think of that ourselves:o )
It's much better, little by little, and any talk of a helmet for him has stopped. i am REALLY happy with the osteo treatment but most babies cry alot during treatment (ds is ok with it, luckily)
Try
http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/factsheets.cfm?doc_id=7666