Flat Head Syndrome - SleepCurve Mattress

[PennyMarshall]

I used SleepCurve mattresses about 9 years ago, with my own two children, as I had read somewhere it prevents flat head syndrome (my babies didn't have FHS). My friend’s new baby has quite a flat head on the right hand side. I was thinking of buying her one, as a gift. Has anyone had any success with actually correcting flat head using these mattresses?

I used one when ds1 was a baby. He did have flat head syndrome but the mattress didn't correct it.

What did you do then?

it usualy corrects itself.
as baby gets older he/she spends less and less time lying down.
tummy time also helps (again less time spent on back).
fwiw dc1 had a very flat head (so bad we considered getting a helmet) but now at 8yo you would never know!

Suggest she puts child at other end of bed. If he looks at a window, switching him would mean other side of his head is on mattress if he is looking at widow.

I Actully had my child fitted with a band to correct flat head syndrome and the first recommendation from the place was that mattress

We ended up getting the head band

Flat head syndrome does self correct for some babies but not all. It depends on your baby, the degree of plagiocephaly / brachycephaly they have, how much they move around at night or spend in car chairs, day mats (i.e. on a flat surface) etc.

You should use re-positioning therapy - keep moving your baby and try carrying your baby more.

The head bands, baby helmets and Sleepcurve mattress will work well. There isn't anything that magical about them - they just aid the self correction by reducing the pressure on the soft skull bones.

If you have a baby with a flat spot I would do something about it personally -it could self correct but it might not. If it is severe see your midwife or doctor or cranial osteopath.

I would check out the SleepCurve mattress - there is a clinical study done at Alder Hey which is quite interesting and the mattresses - It's not so obtrusive as a head band or helmet (I don't really like seeing babies in a helmet - looks a bit ott) - but if it is very severe you might want to opt for a helmet but they are around £2K and I don't think you will get one on the NHS!

wrt to the helmets there have been recent studies that they don't work very well and are causing other problems.

bbc link

I'm not paying for a helmet! The mattress seems like the better gift option. If you put baby in the cot the other way, doesn't baby's head naturally still rotate onto the flat bit?

We used a sleep curve and DS is often complemented on the shape of his head! Can't see it myself...just looks like a head.

I have a cousin who has a completely flat head at the back. You could put a spirit level on it. He is a teenager now and unless you knew or were looking you can't really see it past his hair.

My DS has a bit of a flat spot,MIT was really flat when he was a baby. I just repositioned him a lot and it improved a bit.

I steered clear of helmets as they are not without problems and cost a lot, also of pillows etc as I was worried about SIDS, though I don..'t know of any direct risk. Was just worried as thought baby needs a flat surface. In retrospect one of those mattresses might have been useful.

If there is a big flat bit on one side, it may be that her baby has a tightness in the neck called torticollis. HCPs can be variable in their skill at recognising or dealing with this.

Physio can help.

I'd suggest she talks to her HV to get the baby assessed for torticollis and to get a physic referral.

Mild plagiocephaly is very common, but if it is becoming severe there can be some functional as well as cosmetic issues, so it is worth pursuing.

IMO there is a very strong line about flat head syndrome NOT being a problem because the NHS is worried about the cost of funding helmets in every case.