Flat head despite sleeping in Amby

[bluemousemummy]

Anyone have any experience of this? Ds2 has slept in his amby natures nest from birth but has developed a very flat head at the back and looks all pointy from the side, almost conical! He is 4 months old now. He sleeps well in it so is obviously comfortable. Has anyone else had this? Any suggestions?? Am considering putting him in a cot instead, not sure if that would make it any better but am concerned about it getting worse....

You make it sound like we are having a row

My child had plagio, not brachy so our measurements and experiences are bound to be different.

Bluemousemummy, a company called Sleepcurve sell mattresses specially designed to help avoid/rectify flat head syndrome.

I had one for DS in his moses basket and he always had a lovely round shaped head so that's my testimony.

Please see the website as there is lots of useful information on there about the syndrome in general.

www.sleepcurve.co.uk/

just to add - goi goi and other repositioning things are generally not advised by FSID.

I took my DD to the doctors and he 1st started to tell me that flat head is very common and her hair will cover it!! After reading comments on here I said I was not happy as she seems to only be able to look right. After examining her he agreed and said he was concerned about her neck muscles. He is now going to refer her. Thanks to the comments on here I felt better prepared and I am glad something is finally going be be done. Thanks again x

Great news Dustin! Well done for standing your ground. All the best with it x

Hi - I am getting worried about my 3 month old daughter who has developed brachy despite me being super vigilant, re-positioning, not using car seat/swing too often and having chiropractic treatment for torticollis. I am a biot of an expert in this as my 3 year old son had a band fitted when he was one - for severe plagiocephaply. He wore it for a year and although much better, I can still notice his odd shaped head. I am so upset because I have bought all the speacial cushions and she has slept in an Amby nest since birth, but like one of the other mums has noted on here, she had developed cone-like head shape, very flat at the back. We live in the Channel Islands and I spent literally thousands of pounds flying backwards and forwards to LOC clinic in London for my son. I do not want to go through all of this again!!

can't agree with you enough here - we waited until my son was one to get a helmet fitted as all doctors told us was that it would go away by itself - what utter rubbish! He had to wear the helmet for a year, but because his case was so severe, it only improved marginally and I can still notice how flat his head is (he is now 3). I am now going through all of this worry again with my 3 month old daughter who has developed brachy despite me buying every product and re-positioning her religiously. What am I doing wrong???

I do not understand why a medical condition such as a plagiocephaly is so often dismissed by do-gooders and-or GPs, HV etc. who 'promise' that the assymetry will correct itself.
There will be a lot of kids who won't want to go to swimming lessons fairly soon....

Can someone explain how an Amby nest helps prevent flat head?

I can't see the logic. I can however see the logic with a Sleepcurve mattress, it has a gentle curve shape where the head lies, allowing the head to rotate freely and supporting the head much like the nook of mum's elbow I suppose.

I used one in the moses basket for my DS and it did prevent any flat head occurring, but I suppose that could have been coincidence.

On the other hand, DS spent alot of time asleep on our chests and in our arms as he was a baby who was difficult to settle so maybe this could be why too.

My GP strongly recommended that I get the goi goi pillow even without my asking about this product. I also have an Amby. We'll see how it goes..

I should say "even without my asking about this issue" - I wasn't asking about flat heads as we had just gone in to get her vaccinations.

Hi Sassy73

It won't be anything you're doing wrong. We often blame ourselves when sometimes it's completely out of our control.

Sounds like you've done everything you can to prevent the flathead this time around and you're not only educated on the subject as you've been through it before, you will also have a real 'eye' for it. I remember the orthotist telling me recently that often a child that's been treated with a band for flathead will have another sibling that would also need one, despite the parent being fully aware of the condition and constantly repositioning/having every pillow and mattress on the market.

I really do sympathise with you especially as you live in the Channel Islands and it's obviously a lot harder for you. My LO is now 3.5 months into treatment and we have a possible 5 to go as his was extremely severe and that's after starting treatment at 6 months old. His head looks fabulous now even though it's still in the severe bracket! It's the shape that's changed and that's what I concentrate on, not the measurement of brachy. You would never know he had flat head believe it or not...I now have 2 other friends that are also having their children fitted with bands.

I Wish you all the luck in the world with it but just remember, it's not your fault and NOTHING you have done...X