Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Flat head in babies - had any success repositioning?

44 replies

LooseyC · 22/05/2008 20:13

Our 5 month old DS has positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) caused by sleeping on one side when he was very young - apparently getting more common now since the 'back to sleep' campaign re SIDS.

We have been advised by the physio to try repositioning him on the other side to even it out especially during sleep time, but after about a month aren't noticing any difference really. I've been reading some hints and tips on the web but it is very tricky!

Has anyone been able to make a difference to their baby's head shape this way, or seen it get better with time?

I'm not sure I believe it will improve on it's own, but really want to avoid getting one of those helmets if we can...

OP posts:

GordontheGopher · 22/05/2008 20:14

Have you seen a cranial osteopath? WOuld highly recommend. Completely reshaped my son's head.

Spockster · 22/05/2008 20:19

DD2 has a flat head on one side, presumably positional; it was hard to get her to sleep to the other side, as if one side of your head is flat I guess it rolls comfortably that way! Anyway, now she is 2 and full of beans, and still has a flat head; but now has hair, so it doesn't show.
Unless it's severe, I personally would not worry.

ScarletPimpernel1976 · 22/05/2008 20:22

my DD has a flat spot on her head, we took her to lots of cranial osteopathy and it has made a bit of difference - although that could just be down to the head growing out naturally of course. The osteopathy did, however, help with the fluidity of movement in turning her head as she was quite stiff. We also bought a goi goi pillow so that she didn't sleep flat on the bed (although this is not recommended by UK re: SIDS etc). I found that once she sat up and started to spend more time on her stomach the flatness appears less obvious. GP told us that it generally corrects itself within a year naturally and with re-positioning and that the helmets some people get are useless.

EachPeachPearMum · 22/05/2008 20:26

repositioning did NOT help for us- though it did prevent it getting worse. Helmet did.

LaurelLeaf · 22/05/2008 20:31

My friend's little boy had this. They noticed it at about 4 months. He had quite a lot of physio and by the time he was 14 months it had really improved. They also had some kind pillow to help him lie on the opposite side. They wanted to avoid using a helmet and they did!

NotABanana · 22/05/2008 20:32

Our DD had a helmet. They are fab!

NotABanana · 22/05/2008 20:33

Spockster - please don't tell her that. Plagio is not a cosmetic problem to be hidden with hair.

oregonianabroad · 22/05/2008 20:34

One of my closest friends had a helmet for her dd. She really agonaised over the decision, but has absolutely no regrets now, and it made a noticeable difference.

wulfricsmummy · 22/05/2008 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NotABanana · 22/05/2008 20:36

Helmets work better the younger the child.

ConnorTraceptive · 22/05/2008 20:36

Repo improved ds's head to a degree but we went down the helmet route in the end.

It's a tough decision but if you are thinking about I'd say do it sooner rather than later.

angel1976 · 22/05/2008 20:50

Hi,

I second the goi goi pillow... My DS has a very obvious flat head on one side as well as he favours one side a lot more than the other. We are trying to get help from the HV re: exercise and massage to help him. He also sees a CO who has encouraged us to massage as well as do some gentle manipulation of his head. The goi goi pillow has made a huge difference when he is sleeping as he now sleeps facing front and it's easy to reposition with a pillow. If you look on their website, it does tell you how to position your child (head and shoulders on pillow so even if they turn their head, they are unlikely to bury their face in the pillow) to protect them from SIDS. I was very hesitant to use it at night and tried it during naps first. But I've been using it every night since and have noticed a slight difference already...

Original poster

LooseyC · 22/05/2008 20:55

Thanks. When you get told by most health professionals that it will get better with time but they can't tell you about anyone in particular it's hard to know what to do....

I also know someone who is using a helmet and might do it if we had to, despite the price tag! Those who have used one - how old were your dcs when you started and how long before you noticed a difference?

Those who didn't - how did you get hold of a CO?

OP posts:

wulfricsmummy · 22/05/2008 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

wulfricsmummy · 22/05/2008 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

LooseyC · 22/05/2008 21:17

Thanks wulfricsmummy - good to know it isn't too late if we did want to go down this route...

OP posts:

LaVieEnRose · 22/05/2008 21:18

ds (7 months) had a flat head on one side and we used a love pillow until he was 4 months old which seemed to help a bit.

Since then he has sat in his playnest a lot to play which has meant a lot less time lying down and also the added benefit of strengthening his back and posture so that he can now sit unaided.

His head is still slightly flat on one side but hardly noticeable and his hair is thicker now which helps.

I don't think I would have gone down the helmet route as my GP implied that this was just a con. I don't know if this is true or not but ds's flat head was never that severe so I didn't have to decide. If his face was beginning to look different because of one side being pushed forward then perhaps I would've considered a helmet.

One site I looked at says to hold your baby up in front of a mirror and if their reflection makes them look a lot different to how they usually look then the problem is severe.

TBH I'd go to see your GP if you're that worried! I was really worried about ds at one point but now I'm not worried at all.

2point4kids · 22/05/2008 21:26

DS1 had a flat head as a baby.
It looked really bad and the GP referred him to the hospital for it.
The paediatrician there advised us on re-positioning and said that helmets were available privately but that there was no real evidence that they made any difference, just anecdotal evidence. He said re-positioning and time would have more or less the same efect as the helmet does.

Once DS1 started sitting up and then crawling it didneven out A LOT on its own.
He is now 2.7 yrs and it is barely noticeable.

Ds2 is 3 months old and again has a noticeably flat head on one side. We are re-positioning him for sleeping and hopefully his will correct itself like DS1's did.

To be fair, you dont really see any older children with flat heads still do you? So there must be a good case for it evening out on its own over time!

KatyH · 22/05/2008 21:27

My dd had positional plagio which we also noticed at about 5mnths. We pursued repositioning and it worked very well. I was pretty strict about it though and would put a rolled up blanket under her sheet to put her over on the other side and I would check various times during the night that she wasn't on the affected side. It was quite tiring but it did work.

You don't see the results right away. We were told this was because their heads grow a certain amount each month so you need the new growth to take place to even it out (if that makes sense). Their heads grow most in the first 12 months so if you try repositioning and it really isn't making any difference then you still have time to opt for a helmet.

Also, without being flippant, I think if it isn't causing any facial assymetry then you shouldn't be hugely worried as it's true that their hair will cover it up. My friends and family thought we were mad as it wasn't really noticable on her (she had quite a lot of hair) but it was very apparent when her hair was wet.

Good luck!

EachPeachPearMum · 22/05/2008 21:44

To be fair, you dont really see any older children with flat heads still do you?

erm yes 2point4kids you do- I see them everywhere now! Try sitting on the bus behind people- there are some really wonky adults out there!

DD had her helmet from 5.5 mo to 10.5, and her head went from 2.9cm to 0.4cm plagio. Her face and forehead are also much more symmetrical now.
I can still see where it is, as I brush her hair, and as I wash it, but most people would never know now.

EachPeachPearMum · 22/05/2008 21:44

To be fair, you dont really see any older children with flat heads still do you?

erm yes 2point4kids you do- I see them everywhere now! Try sitting on the bus behind people- there are some really wonky adults out there!

EachPeachPearMum · 22/05/2008 21:47

To be fair, you dont really see any older children with flat heads still do you?

erm yes 2point4kids you do- I see them everywhere now! Try sitting on the bus behind people- there are some really wonky adults out there!

EachPeachPearMum · 22/05/2008 21:47

gah! sorry- mn broke!

Original poster

LooseyC · 22/05/2008 21:52

I haven't been to see GP as 2 HVs have said there is no point and referred us to the baby physio who is being helpful actually - do you think a GP can add anything?

Everyone else thinks I am mad too KatyH! Most don't notice until I point it out but I think it's quite apparent (perhaps I am being paranoid Mum)- doesn't help though that DS is such a baldy. Luckily his face is symmetrical though.

I am checking his head in the night when we are awake but he thrashes around and it's driving me mad keeping him there, even with a rolled up towel...

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 22/05/2008 21:53

Try getting and using a sling (a fabric one like a wrap or a coorie) instead of a pushchair. BabyDragon spent a huge portion of her first 18 months in one and has the most beautiful, perfectly shaped head. In contrast, both DSs had minor flatness which sorted itself out and both had spent far more time lying down ina carseat or pram etc.

It's just one more way of avoiding the head lying on one place.

Flip

1 2