Babies Flat Head Pissing Me Off!!

[PurpleRayne89]

My 5 month old son has plagiocephaly. As a result he has one eye larger than the other, prominent cheek to one side and bulging forehead. All resulted from torticollis, in his case having a preference to one side. Physio have exercises to do which I’ve been doing. Seen 2 osteopaths and they keep focusing on the torticollis even tho I’ve mentioned I’m seeing a physio. They say his face “everyone has some degree of asymmetry”. I thought a cranial osteopath was supposed to focus on fixing this asymmetry. It isn’t naturally occurring but a result of the flat head. I’ve spent so much money on private consultations only to be what I feel like is being fobbed off.

Will this correct itself? What advice do you have because I feel like I’m at my wits end with this now. Doctors aren’t taking me seriously and I cannot spend anymore money on expensive consultations which start at £100+.

Any advice is appreciated.

I see a lot of babies around with helmets like this:

www.google.com/amp/s/www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/helmet-therapy-for-your-baby%3famp=true

Could that be something that might help?

My baby had similar and I think it has mainly corrected itself, I no longer really notice it. We did the exercises from the physio and also turned him round in bed so that to face in the room he had his head his least preferred way. The physio we saw said you have until they are about 18 months for it to resolve as the bone will still be soft.

As pp said I have also seen the helmets used, but I not sure who you would ask about that. I think you would have to get fitted.

My friends had this with her little ones. With the Torticollis it is a waiting game with time and exercise. With the symmetry if you think it is that bad then you can look into the helmet but bare in mind they aren’t cheap I believe and don’t come on the nhs it’s private care.

I found it started to improve massively once mine could sit up. I also used to put him in a jumperoo before he could sit or crawl as he loved that and it meant he wasn’t laying on his back. Then gradually his hair got longer and probably by about 18months I’d forgotten it was even a thing.
I obviously don’t know how bad your child’s condition is but we also had uneven eyes, shifted ears and a prominent cheek that I thought was really obvious and others could see once I pointed it out. Hope it works out the same for you.

@PurpleRayne89

I had this with my the six month old (now 2 years). I have a thread in AIBU under a different user name. If you advance search "helmet six month old" I'm sure it will come up. I'm not sure how to link a thread. It was around June 2020.

If you want to discuss with me then please PM me and I can show you some pictures and his chart of his head changing shape. Please don't feel you have too though. The offer is there. One woman on here really helped me so I am happy to pass this on.

Mine had asymmetry and torticollis although your case sounds severe.
For me I was always turning the baby on the non favoured side as soon as he was asleep. (Had to be hyper vigilant with this literally in the night as well).
Encouraging sitting as much as possible, it's no longer a problem now he is active.
Also mine went from sleeping on his back to sleeping on his tummy around 6 months, which solved the issue as he was no longer placing pressure on the back of his head.
You can get helmets but they are expensive.

My DS had torticollis and it was fixed by his osteopath so I would keep letting them work on that. His head was a little flat so I stopped using the pram and carried him everywhere in a sling. Changed his sleeping position when I could and generally tried to stop him lying on his back. This was helped greatly when he started sitting up!

He’s 5 now and you can’t tell he ever had a problem. So there are definitely simple things that can be done that will help.

DS had a really bad flat head. We had referrals to consultants etc who said it would correct itself but to be honest I don’t think it did! He’s 5 now and still has a flat head but I no longer notice because it’s covered with hair. I wish I had got a helmet or something though but I trusted the consultant!

I’ve been hyper vigilant with DC2 and almost never put her down and still she’s got a tiny flat spot. Not on the same scale though.

I must just make flat headed children

DS had awful, noticeable flat head. Aldi for struck brow first being born and they had to stay him out (literally, didn't realise it was so violent) with the ventouse so his head was really quite odd.

Was referred to paed who said helmets were a waste of money and as he became more mobile it works eighteen to some extent. And that hair would cover anything else. Pointed out that many of us adults would have wonky heads as was just a given and no one bats an eyelid.

DS now 16 and totally fine, can't nitride at all. Save your money.

If, however, he is still suffering discomfort from the torticollis that's different, it's with paying to alleviate that.

My DD had torticollis and plagiocephaly. She’s a twin and I’m only very short so she was quite squashed. When she was born she had one eye much lower than the other, a dent in one side of her forehead and another dent in the opposite cheek. She very quickly developed a flat patch on her head which meant to back of her head looked diagonal.

We spent a fortune getting her a helmet for the plagiocephaly, but she was a hot, sweaty baby and once I realised she would have to wear the helmet for 23 hours of the day and she spent the first couple of hours crying and getting overheated, I had a bit of a breakdown and couldn’t continue to make her wear it.

I saw a physio about the torticollis. Made sure I did the exercises they suggested as well as turning her head onto the opposite side every time she slept. I would try not to have her laid down on her back when she was awake.

She’s 13 now and you would not know she had any problems. Her face sorted itself as she grew and her head rounded out too. If I feel the back of her head I can feel the tiniest flat spot but you would never be able to tell looking at her.

Keep up with the exercises - it will get better on its own.

@LefttoherownDevizes that was a very useful post, but also the highest rate of autocorrect errors I've ever seen, gave me a chuckle, thanks 😁

I had this and also undiagnosed/untreated tortocollis. It was actually pretty severe and left untreated as the NHS were trying to cover up their negligence and kept telling my mum she was imagining things.

It is the reason I need glasses/contacts and I ended up having private surgery as an adult as it was causing me back problems. I have a noticeably asymmetric face. You can see it in photos quite clearly.

I also have: good health, a beautiful home, a good education, income and job. I have travelled the world, done everything from skydiving and abseiling to amazon treks and the inca trail. I dated a range of people including a quite sucessful male model! prior to meeting and marrying my wonderful husband.
No one stares at me in the street and i'm considered reasonably attractive. I excelled at work, have made 6 figures since early 30s and am about to have my first child.
My life is (overall) pretty effing great.

What I am trying to say is even if it doesn't even out and their left eye is 5mm higher than the right (or whatever) it is not the end of the world.
Your child will be fine and can/will have a normal/good and full life

If you are seeing multiple professionals, from different specialities, and they are all telling you the same thing, why would you think you are being fobbed off? Babies torticollis does fix itself with the exercises and this along with keeping them off their flat spot does fix flat heads. Helmets aren't funded on the NHS because the evidence base for them is poor.

Don’t rely on the NHS! They’ll fob you off and tell you there’s nothing wrong. My DC had this. Luckily we lived in a country where helmets were the norm and all is now well. If you don’t fix it, there can be real consequences for things like teeth, wearing glasses, nasal passages/sinuses.

He’s only 5 months, hopefully there will be improvement when he gets more mobile, able to sit up etc. my DD had torticollis and plagiocephaly. She had a flat spot and her forehead and eye on that side were further forward than the other. The asymmetry is basically gone now at 9 months she’s so much more mobile and I followed the physiotherapy advice.

So you might just need time.

@Foolsrule

Don’t rely on the NHS! They’ll fob you off and tell you there’s nothing wrong. My DC had this. Luckily we lived in a country where helmets were the norm and all is now well. If you don’t fix it, there can be real consequences for things like teeth, wearing glasses, nasal passages/sinuses.

Really? Because my NHS trust took it very seriously and were very helpful. We decided to leave it and then once baby got to 18 months it is barely noticeable now.

Cranial osteopaths are not science-based and a waste of your money. If you are worried that the NHS are not taking you seriously, pay to see a reputable paediatric physio or paediatrician. I bet they tell you the same as the NHS though.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Cranial osteopaths are not science-based and a waste of your money. If you are worried that the NHS are not taking you seriously, pay to see a reputable paediatric physio or paediatrician. I bet they tell you the same as the NHS though.

Exactly this! Cranial osteopaths are quacks. Do not waste any more money on them. It’s exasperating to see the way they have wormed into ‘fixing baby’ market. At one point our NHS hospital infant feeding clinic was directing people to the local CO for breastfeeding problems . I know so many mums who spent 100’s on complete bunk.

cranial oestos are not quacks - BUPA only pays for treatment that it believes will be useful and BUPA pays for cranial oesto on babies. Helped my son's digestive problems. The only thing with cranial oestos is they work on a gentle level and you don't see what they do. A test is whether your son sleeps better or is more settled after a session of cranial oest.

There is absolutely no scientific basis for cranial osteopathy. BUPA are a customer-driven organisation - they fact that they pay for them means nothing.

There is a reason why you will never meet an NHS cranial osteopath. It's woo. Just like homeopathy, it appears to work because all the conditions that they pretend to treat get better naturally anyway.

My DS had a pretty flat head (no idea about torticollis) this was 13 years ago when flat heads had just become a thing (aka people had realised they could make money out of parents from it). I don't think you would have any idea now to look him! Don't waste any more money on unproven unscientific 'treatments'.

Did they not recommend helmet therapy OP?

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

There is absolutely no scientific basis for cranial osteopathy. BUPA are a customer-driven organisation - they fact that they pay for them means nothing.

There is a reason why you will never meet an NHS cranial osteopath. It's woo. Just like homeopathy, it appears to work because all the conditions that they pretend to treat get better naturally anyway.

Yeah obviously doesn't work Except that my 8 week old wasn't turning his head to the left, and then after one session was doing so within two days. And then continued to improve after two more sessions. Maybe you've only come across crap osteopaths.

Scientific studies show that it doesn't work. "It worked for me" is not evidence because people often attribute improvements to the treatment, when many conditions resolve themselves naturally.

Just an update if anyone is interested. Seen a cranial osteopath and I honestly think he’s nuts lol. He holds my sons head in his hands and talks me through what it is he’s doing. Anyone could do that. He’s even said not to expect miracles. The previous osteopath did loosen up his tight muscle regarding his torticollis. Since he’s be more agile and turns his head more. He’s even slept on that side a few times.

He spend most of his time in the day on his tummy, he literally rolls over first thing and starts to play so I don’t have to initiate it. I can see the problem straightening itself out. I guess time will tell. I will update a few times so someone in future can refer to this thread for advice.