When exploring the different forms of treatment for flat head syndrome, many parents are initially advised to try a course of repositioning therapy to correct a flat head during the early stages of a baby’s life. But can repositioning therapy prevent flat head syndrome and does it always work?
Official NHS advice advocates repositioning therapy as an effective form of treatment for babies suffering with flat head syndrome. According to the NHS website, it is recommended that you encourage your baby to “try new positions during play time” and “reduce the time your baby spends lying on a firm flat surface, such as car seats and prams”.
Forums like BabyCenter reveal that many parents are concerned about a potential link between plagiocephaly and development delay. It seems that a number of children who have experienced plagiocephaly can also have other neurodevelopmental issues but with little research conducted in this area, a cause-and-effect relationship between plagiocephaly and neural development can be difficult for parents and healthcare professionals to establish.
Plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are both conditions that result in skull deformities. Because of this they are often confused, but there are a number of key features that define each one as distinct from the other. Here we outline the difference between plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis to help give you an idea of their distinguishing features.
As the number of enquiries from adults and parents with older children regarding plagiocephaly treatment continues to increase, we are left with the difficult task of informing adults that we are unable to help infants who have plagiocephaly after 14 months of age. In our ongoing pursuit to offer parents and carers a wealth of advice, information and research on plagiocephaly, we are addressing one of the biggest questions parents ask us on a daily basis…
Torticollis (also known as wry neck) is a very common condition which can often develop into plagiocephaly. It is characterised by an inability to turn the head fully in both directions, and there may also be a head tilt towards the affected muscle.
As the muscles tighten and become cramped, pain and discomfort will often be felt, causing your baby to become irritable. In infancy, torticollis can develop in a number of ways. Firstly, newborns can experience torticollis due to maintaining a specific position in the womb or after a difficult childbirth. Acquired torticollis happens shortly after birth, either as a result of some shortening from the position that the baby has been lying in or due to bruising during the birth. However your baby has acquired torticollis, seeking a professional diagnosis and pursuing active treatment is necessary.
This informative blog post explains what to do if your baby has torticollis, helping to prevent the face and skull from growing unevenly, and improving the range of motion of the head and neck of your baby.
You’ve made a great change to your baby’s future and we’re delighted that you have entrusted us to help you. It’s great to get back ‘the kissing spot’ on your baby’s head and at last to be able to see the great results your baby has achieved during treatment.
As your baby’s plagiocephaly treatment comes to end though, many concerned parents worry that their baby’s head shape will ‘go back to the way it was’ and this will undo the results they see at the final assessment. At Technology in Motion, we always answer those concerns with one clear response, the shape of your baby’s head will not go back to how it was and plagiocephaly will not return.
Flat head syndrome is the umbrella term used to describe a number of specific flat head conditions which can appear in infants and babies, commonly caused by sustained pressure on a particular spot on a baby’s head. There are many contributing factors which can cause flat head syndrome and the condition usually becomes apparent in the first few months of a baby’s life.
With the sun finally (h
opefully!) out and the summer holidays fast approaching, you may be concerned in case your baby’s plagiocephaly helmet should cause any problems.
The good news is that there’s no need to cancel your holiday, abroad or otherwise. A few short spells in the sun with the plagiocephaly helmet off won’t do any harm so long as it is worn the rest of the time. Provided that it’s only for an hour or two – during the middle of the day when it’s particularly hot, or when you’re both in the pool – you have no need to worry.
At Technology in Motion, we talk to worried parents everyday as they seek advice from leading orthotists about the concerns they have for their baby. By this time, parents have already overcome a number of obstacles, groundless reassurance, missed diagnoses and return trips to their GP to finally bring them to a free consultation with us. As forum threads continue to surface from popular sites such as mumsnet, babycentre and social media pages which are flooded with the same concerns, it seems one question is always at the forefront of many parents’ mind:
Brachycephaly is a condition which is characterised by a flattened area at the back of a baby’s skull. Brachycephaly is a form of flat head syndrome and can often be found in combination with plagiocephaly. If your baby has brachycephaly, you will notice at around eight weeks of age that your baby’s head will seem wider than you would expect, the ears seem to be pushed outwards and in some cases there will be a slight bulging on the forehead and your baby might have a wide brow. The head is often high at the back and the back of the head can look totally flattened with no rounding towards the neck.
For more information on brachycephaly and the key differences and similarities the condition has with plagiocephaly, read our earlier blog post explaining what is plagiocephaly and brachycephaly and how the terms tie in with flat head syndrome.
