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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

baby with misshapen head - does it really get better by itself?

70 replies

Willow33 · 25/07/2015 23:19

Would love to hear from other parents. DD who is 10 weeks old has torticollis and so looks to her right most of the time. So head is misshaped due to this. Dr said it will sort itself out by doing tummy time. However my search of forums says people can expect to shell out up to £2k for special orthotics helmet!
This is because they are not available on the NHS but still recommended by many parents. Many people say to ignore drs advice if they suggest 'wait it out'.

OP posts:

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ThumbWitchesAbroad · 02/08/2015 14:33

BabyMum1 · 02/08/2015 14:40

Needaninsight they might be uncomfortable but some would say better that than funny shape head/face later in life with all sorts of consequences

I did go to one of those clinics for ds2 cause (I thought) he has a flat spot. Doctor did full check for free and he said it's not flat head syndrome just a flat spot that has to do with the shape of the head and it ll sort itself out and it did.. He cud have taken my money but he didn't
Admitedly not all of those clinics r as good but some r honest and have done remarkable jobs with babies

Findtheoldme · 02/08/2015 17:15

In my child's case the head would not have righted itself.

You are being really obnoxious, Need, you are being very unhelpful for parents who might be going through the same thing.

If you had to force it on your child you were doing it wrong.

If your child's head was sweaty it was other reasons.

Need - I find you really really offensive and think you need to back right off.

And for your information, the baby wears it for 23 hours a day.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 02/08/2015 17:57

Findtheold - she didn't say her child's head was sweaty, she said hers was when she tried it on. An adult, trying on a helmet designed for a baby. Unsurprising it was both uncomfortable and sweaty, really.

Graceymac · 02/08/2015 18:28

My dd aged 3 has plagiocephaly, her head is triangular at the back and is inverted on the right side which means her forehead is slightly protruding on one side. She has blonde curly hair so not noticeable unless she is bathed. I too was told it would sort itself out and it didn't.

Findtheoldme · 02/08/2015 18:56

Thumb - my mistake. I'm surprised it fit Need though and really can't see how it would.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 02/08/2015 19:01

Well yes, my thoughts too!

howtodrainyourflagon · 02/08/2015 19:56

Needaninsight - do you have expertise in this area, or are you simply a parent of a child with a mis-shapen head who is justifying their decision not to use helmet treatment?

FYI the helmets are regulated by the American FDA, and there is an evidence base demonstrating that they are effective in cases of moderate and severe plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. In mild plagiocephaly or brachycephaly, particularly without torticollis, the condition generally resolves without helmet treatment.

I hate it when people peddle their own experience as proof of a particular theory or concept.

Graceymac · 02/08/2015 21:48

My cousins baby in the US used a helmet as the head was so mishapen that it affected her eye socket. It was successful and her head is perfect now.

backtowork2015 · 03/08/2015 13:07

probably am at risk of being shouted at here but the helmet do not "sculpt" the baby's head. they simply relieve the pressure from the flattened area allowing the head shape to naturally resolve as it grows. if torticollis is treated and parents are religiously repositioning then they are doing the job of a helmet. if the baby had special needs and it wasn't possible for the repositioning to be carried out or thd pressure to be relieved then there's probably justification for helmeting. my ds had plagiocephaly severe enough to cause the forehead to bulge and the eye socket to be pushed forwards too. you have to be fanatical about the physio and the repositioning but a helmet wasn't necessary

Needaninsight · 04/08/2015 14:24

Finally. Someone with some common sense posting.

Exactly.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 05/08/2015 08:05

What are you talking about, Need? You're contradicting yourself now. For starters, no one has said that the helmets do "sculpt" the baby's head, so there's no refutation in what backtowork said - and she has actually pointed out that the helmets work (by saying how), which is directly contradicting your assertion that they don't work.

TheChocolateDidIt · 05/08/2015 10:00

My DD had a flat bit at the back and if you look at the top of her head its narrower at the front than the back but her forehead does stick out a little but it has since birth and my mum's is like that too so I am not worried. she's now 4 and the flat bit is totally sorted out. I agree with others about the value of cranial osteopathy. I had this for DD primarily to sort out her recurrent ear infections. It was amazing and, after the first treatment she allowed me to put her in her car seat without crying!

One thing I would say about boys is that although it might seem ok because their hair will disguise it- what if they start losing their hair when they are older (of course this can happen to women too)? I saw a boy at a swimming pool. He looked about 7 and he has beautiful red curls. When his head was wet he had the flattest back if his head I have ever seen. It literally did a 90 degree turn at the top. What if he wants a job that requires him to have short hair or what if his hair recedes? or he has a job that requires him to wear a hat or helmet? I am willing to bet the NHS told his mother it would sort itself out .

Findtheoldme · 05/08/2015 15:40

FFS it isn't about hair!! That is irrelevant in so much that having hair/not having hair has no real consequences. Whereas a misaligned jaw, a need for glasses where ears are not aligned...

TheChocolateDidIt · 05/08/2015 16:33

I know that Findtheoldme but I am pointing out that when people say its ok, their hair covers it, I say qwhat about if they lose their hair? In our society, like it or not vanity is an issue.

I have an asymmetrical jaw and ears. The first has required me to have a night splint as I tense my jaw too much and opticians can cope with the latter; they adjust the specs to fit symmetrically.

Findtheoldme · 05/08/2015 19:17

It's still irrelevant if they lose their hair! Being bald means nothing. Having a misshapen head can affect you. Being bald "just" affects you emotionally.

TheChocolateDidIt · 05/08/2015 22:26

You're right to put just in inverted commas. Emotional scars are just as tough as physical ones.

Original poster

Willow33 · 05/08/2015 23:29

We have just come back from a rainy holiday where dd did not sleep well.
Anyway, tummy time is generally v miserable for her. Repositioning is something I have tried but she keeps on moving her back to look to the right. Also sometimes I daren't touch her whilst I have just got her to sleep. She doesn't have craniocyntosis -know a few chn with this.
So seeing a cranial osteopath will be another thing. Awaiting the referral from the NHS for the physio though

OP posts:

howtodrainyourflagon · 06/08/2015 21:08

10w is not too late for physio. Can you ask your HV for it? Google torticollis excercises - they really do make a difference and with ds2 he didn't need a helmet as we fixed his torticollis early.

backtowork2015 · 06/08/2015 21:12

our physio referral was made urgently and we were seen inside a week. make sure it's been referred urgently. sorry it sounds like a really rough time, I remember the worry and am thinking of you x

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