Flat head in 10 mos old

[quaranta]

I am feeling very anxious that I have not done anything about my DS2's rather flat back of his head. I have asked at his very few doctor's appointments and been told it would sort itself out but I am now feeling confused as yesterday I was told by a locum GP ( I was there about a rash he has) that it is too late! Please can anyone advise on what to do?

My son had a very flat head at the back until he was well over a year old (the age they normally say it is too late to do anything about it). It has most definitely improved since then, because even when his hair is plastered against his head from swimming or hair washing, you can see a bit of a curve that just wasn't there when he was a year old. I've seen adults with flatter heads than my son's - he doesn't look remotely odd. Besides which, as the hair grows thicker, any residual flatness is quite well hidden - it's only really because babies are bald or have very fine hair that you notice the shape of their heads so much.

So I would say, try not to worry about it too much. There isn't much you can do except try to keep him upright for as much of the day as possible (the flatness is caused by him lying on his back) and hope he starts adopting other sleeping positions. In my son's case, he didn't roll over until he was taught to at 15 months and up until then would sleep on his back the whole night and for daytime naps, hence the flat head.

If the flatness of your son's head is not symetrical or you have any other reason for really not liking the way his head looks, you could always ask for another opinion - there are helmets that a child can wear to help mould the head into the right shape... but I would say your son would need to have a very severe problem to merit such drastic action (and it probably wouldn't make much of a difference at this stage, albeit I disagree that it's "too late").

asteamedpoater - hilarious name! thanks very much indeed for that. very interesting and reassuring. i am not one for dramatic interventions of a medical nature generally - so i think what you say is probably what i feel to be right. thanks again q.

I have been worried about one of my twins (10 months)still looking a bit flat at the back of his head despite a BIG improvement since he was very little. Anyway, asked my GP about possibly needing a helmet for him as I was worried about leaving it too late - she looked at me like I was MAD and said that if I still thought it was a problem at 18 months to let her know. I was surprised because I thought that would be too late but she seemed very sure that it wasn't.

She also, I suspect, couldn't really see the flat patch that looks so obvious to me - my DH says he can't really see it any more...

Lots of adults have funny shaped heads with lumps and bumps and flat bits. But you don't see it because of the hair.

If there is more than average facial asymmetry due to the flat head being on one side you might worry. But if his face is symetrical from the front then I really don't think you have anyhting to worry about.