Flat head 4 mth old baby

[Jo7249]

I am at my wits end with the realisation that my beautiful 4mth old baby boy has a flat head on the back right side.
I am seeing doctor tomorrow but after reading quite a lot on the subject am soooo worried that I will not be taken seriously or it's too late for him.
His forehead has started to bulge a little on the side that his head is flat and one of his ears is slightly out of line.
Has anyone any experience of this? I have ordered a special pillow for night sleeping and I am trying repositions also but I am so scared it's too late. Please can I have some advice as the last thing I want is to have to buy a helemt at £2000!!
All replies are welcomed

my ds had a very flat head.

we got him a goigoi pillow when he was about 5mo and said if we didn't see any improvement by 7mo we would investigate getting a helmet.

goigoi was used in bed and whenever he was lying on his back on the floor.

it worked brilliantly and his head is totally normal now.

goigoi baby pillow website

Hi Fab...My son had brachy so it's measured in % not mm....plagio is measured in mm..he was 106% (the perfect 'normal' cephalic ratio is 78%) so you can see there's a big difference. I can see your measurements from your lo and they were also quite bad...All I can say is well done for going with your gut instinct and like me, it's probably the best decision you have ever made...

I also forgot to say, the research into the condition in this country hasn't been fully investigated but in the states its a different matter. It's not just cosmetic in their opinion and theres a big question mark over the development of the child. In order to make your own mind up, it's probably better to look into it yourself and you will find lots of info if you google it. If your child suffers from plagio, it can cause problems wearing glasses or even a bicyle helmet. More severe cases there can be problems chewing, eyesight etc etc. The list goes on....

I understand everyone has an opinion about flat head but no one can even begin to know how difficult it is to put a helmet on your child. My lo is my first and it was completely soul destroying...but I know it was the best decision I've ever made in my life and I know all those who have put a helmet on their child feel the same. They won't be teased at school and the parent won't feel guilt if it doesn't resolve in time.

I am a member of a couple of yahoo groups based in the states and you can see the horror of unresolved plagio/brachy in full detail. I'm not trying to frighten anyone...as I've said it depends on the severity but the fact is, it doesn't always resolve itself and depending on the age of the child, depends on whether repositioning will help.

Repositioning is the way to go from birth and I know that for the next time!!! however, that doesn't always work either regardless of how much you reposition them.

X

oh and I've bought every pillow and gadget under the sun and he's had cranial osteopathy....it didn't make any difference at all (apart from my pocket) but he was 5 months and already severe....not to say that wouldn't work for others as it could, so you need to try everything. Everything is worth a go.

I started a thread just like this when my DD was 4 months old too and she is 20 months now with a perfectly normal looking head. It helps her having hair - when it's wet I suppose if you know you can just notice where it used to be flat, but not unless you know where to look.

I used one of those pillows, sat her up in a bumbo etc and tummy time as much as possible. Once she started to roll and move more that really helped too.

Thanks Zapostrophe that's lovely to hear. So glad your lo is doing so well. You may not have thought the same if you had ignored it. Ha, it's funny how the other children find it so amusing! and, my lo is trying to walk and it's protecting his head

It's funny as there's alot of stares when we are out but I've also had people come up to me to say sorry for staring but they have also had their child in a helmet.

I live just outside of Sevenoaks and from talking about it openly there are now 3 babies in the village that have helmet - all of which are doing fantastically well.

It's funny as it's not about him having a 'perfect' head, just one that he won't be teased about and he can wear short hair (as boys generally do) and when he's older I can feel confident that I have done everything in my power to do what I can for him. He's now at 91% brachy and if we get to 89% I will be over the moon!!!

Good luck to all of you...go with your heart and there's nothing to lose getting a 2nd opinion XXXX

Once again, I apologise if I've caused any offence to Fab or to anyone else on this thread. I certainly never intended to.

Jo7249- I am sorry you are going through this- having a 4mo is worrying enough, without having this to deal with too.

I have had 2 dc with plagio unfortunately, and I believe that it is the child's disposition that will allow/not allow repositioning to work. 1 of mine had helmet treatment, the other was solved entirely by repositioning.

Please get you GP to check there isn't a neck problem (torticollis)- if there is they will give you some physio exercises to do with him.

Basically, I spent the first 6 mo of both their lives holding my babies upright- in a sling, a bumbo (ok from 4mo if they are strong enough), in my arms etc. (DD had reflux too, so was upright most of the time anyway)

DS was a v good sleeper, and was a baby that did not move in his sleep, not thrash around or anything- for him, we solved his plagio entirely by repositioning- using one of these at every nap and sleep. The first couple of days were tricky, but he soon got used to it- he still sleeps on his side now, on either side interchangeably. It took probably about 8-12 weeks to sort it out, and he has a beautifully round head now.

I cannot recommend the sleepcurve matresses at all- the sleepcurve we invested in (to prevent plagio in him, after our experience with dd) gave him plagio- I think possibly because he was a heavy baby, who never moved.

DD however was a demon in her sleep- could never lie still, terrible problems sleeping (maybe because of her reflux), and we had to have the cot at a steep angle too, so repositioning was a complete non-starter. We had the cranio band from Dr Blecher, and we were very pleased with the results. Yes (as someone upthread mentioned) they do have to wear it a lot - 23 hours a day... but there is no point in forking out 2k, and putting your child through the helmet wearing, unless you do it properly. Her measurements went from 32mm asymmetry to 4mm- an amazing improvement, over 4 and a half months.

I notice children with brachy- and plagio- cephaly all the time- simply because having a child with it makes you very sensitive to people's head shapes!

I hope you get some help from your GP. You can use rolled-up towels to help with tummy time, and sleep repositioning, though I found the bebecal thing excellent.

There are studies which compare treatment vs no treatment- some in the Netherlands, and some in Singapore(?? or Malaysia?) but it is 3 years since I researched it, so couldn't tell you the links now.

HTH

Sorry, meant to add- the goigoi pillow was good- used one all the time in the pram, every nappy change, etc. I couldn't personally bring myself to use it when I was sleeping though- ie at night... just too scared really, but I know people who have.

Jo7249 - I really understand how stressful this issue can be. When my DS was 2 months, I had a comment about how his head was an odd shape. The GP made me feel like a mad post natal mother and I began to question my own sanity as people said I was perhaps exaggerating the problem. But by 12 weeks, it was clearly misshapen and, irritated that the health professionals had slowed us down, my husband (now convinced of the issue) and I took action. We saw some helmet specialists who measured his head and placed him in the moderate plagio category. They really did not try a hard sell and recommended lots of repositioning. I would certainly think about making an appt with a local helmet provider.

I seriously did not sleep for the next two months as I became literally consumed by the mission. Every two hours I set my alarm at night to move his head, from facing as it usually did on the right side. I carried him around in a sling at all times and he only ever sat on my lap or in a bumbo (rather than his preferred bouncy chair). I recommend you start doing some repositioning now even if you decide against a helmet provider. I would also recommend a sleep curve mattress - they ensure that the baby's head is not dead flat against the mattress.

After three months of my aggressive and draining (for me) action, his head improved and we didn't go down the helmet route. My DS is now 4 year old and has an almost normal head shape - you can only see a slight difference on one side with wet hair. When I mention the crisis I went through, people think I was a complete and utter loony. But I think my response was pretty reasonable.

Good luck - I really do empathise with you but am sure that with perseverance you will improve your child's head shape.

I'm a bit shocked by this thread and would warn the OP to go forward with this with severe caution.

Just because a child has a flat head does not mean anything needs to be done to said child.

I speak as a fully grown adult with a completely flat head.

I have never had and problems at all, and the only time people ever notice is when I point it out! I was never bullied or picked on at school because of it.

My Dad also has a completely flat back of head, as does one of my older brothers and my DS (4yrs old).

None of us has ever had any problems relating to it , ever!

Some of this sounds like scaremongering if I am honest. I apologise if that offends anyone but I think we can all agree I have good experience of this.

I also find it highly offensive that people talk about now having a perfectly normal head. Myself, my family members and my beautiful DS all have normal heads! I have never heard such clap trap!

Hi

If you're happy with your head then that's great and if you haven't been bullied that's even better. The fact of the matter is alot of children are - those that have unresolved plagio/brachy and alot of children (and by no means all) suffer from other conditions related to flat head. The facts speak for themselves and so do the youngsters that experience problems.

However, your experience is a very positive one and it's great to hear. I have also heard that alot of people that have flat head and it running in families.

Also, there's different variations of flat head. I think everybody if they shaved their heads would have some sort of flat area but I am talking about extreme - ie bulging forehead and cone like head. It's great to hear opinions but it doesn't change the fact that it's been the best decision for me, 'clap trap' or not

All the best x

DPIR - I think your situation maybe different though.

In my case, DS had a perfectly round head at birth, and a very symmetrical face but very very quickly he developed a very flat area on the back-right of his head. One of his eyes started to look larger than the other, and the left side of his forhead bulged forward. His ears were very lopsided. He is fine now, all has evened out thankfully.

it's good to hear that you didn't suffer any problems, but to be fair, it does sound like a normal family trait, rather than a deformation in your case.

I hope I'm not offending you, that certainly isn't my intention, just trying to explain.

Gleno put it much better than me though.

Refering back to DPIR's post, when I said my son now has a more or less normal head shape, I mean it is like the one he was born with i.e round in his case. What it became, in the words of my 5 year old godson at the time, was "half a head" ie. the right side where he slept had been completely flattened and misshapen compared to the left side.

I do not think it is "clap trap" to use the word normal in this context.

Hi there

Yes, there are now 2 NHS trusts that provide helmets and that's Leeds and Bristol, so if you live in one of those areas you are ok. They see the issue as a problem and it could be only a matter of time before other trusts follow suit.

You can apply to your local NHS trust for funding towards the helmet but unfortunately this takes alot of time, something you don't always have with the condition. The younger the baby, the easier to resolve although there have been many older babies (18 months and older) where it's made a huge difference. Depending on the severity you could have a good chance.

My lo's head was growing the wrong way and he grew width ways so his head looked extremely large. It also then went into a cone shape at the back having a sharp slope from the forehead to the back of the head. This meant the bone behind the ears was almost level with the ear itself and his head may have continued to grow that way.

There's no doubt helmets are effective and there are many online groups where you can actually see before and after pictures to get an idea of how well they do actually work. Also, by speaking to all the parents that have gone down the helmet route, I haven't met one yet that has regretted it!!

My DS got the helmet around 12 months. I waited so long as everyone kept saying it would sort itself out, but it didn't. 12 month is a very late stage to start, but it helped a little. I am sure, however, it would have helped a lot more if he had got it sooner! I met this one boy (same age as my DS) who had a VERY flat head and the doctors kept saying it wasn't bad enough to get the treatment on NHS. Fortunately we could afford his helmet, but speak to your GP NOW as it is reccommended getting it as early as possible.

I have bought the Goi Goi pillow for my DS and one for my next (due soon). The pillow can go underneath the sheets. This is used in Sweden where they have a very low rate of flat head syndrome. I have also ordered a SleepCurve mattress for his moses basket (also available for cots). This is a special mattress to prevent flat head. I hope it will work. they are expensive, but better than the alternative (flat head and/or expensive helmet).

Hope this helps.

Dear Jo

As you can see there is a lot of controversy about how to treat plagio.

My son had a severely flat head so I decided to have a helmet fitted for him at 7 months old. I do think it improved his head shape but who is to know what would have happened if he hadn't had the helmet?

Please read everything you can so you make the right decision for your child. 4 months is still very young and theres probably a lot you can still do in terms of self help.

I found the website Plagiouk a godsend. I also took my son for Cranialosteopathy and can highly recommend it. If you live in London the Childrens Osteopathy Centre are amazing and you pay what you can afford.

I know you are probably really concerned but I'm sure things will work out fine. Best of luck

Jo,

Our daughter was born unable to turn her head to the right and with a very misshapen head/face - bulging forehead, one bulging eye, the other couldn't open, one sticking-out ear, the other pulled tight and flat, etc. I was fobbed off by the hospital - apparently all newborns can look only one way and they all have weird heads. I suspect the hospital was afraid of being sued, since DD was born 17 days overdue and more than 30 hours after a scan showed all the amniotic fluid had gone...

Anyway, a cranial osteopath told me it was torticollis and plagiocephaly at 6w and sent us to the GP for specialist referral. After the first session with the osteopath, DD was able to turn her head about 30 degrees to the right and her face started looking more symmetrical - so we've kept on with the appointments, and I'm certain they're making a difference. FWIW, although we saw him at a local clinic after a recommendation, he also works at the Children's Osteopathy Centre mentioned by the pp.

The osteopath also gave us stretching exercises to do, and told us about repositioning. We bought a goigoi pillow too, though as DD started rolling onto her front at 7w, I was terrified of using it (you're not supposed to!). I got up to reposition DD every 45 mins or so during the night from 6w to about 4m (when HURRAH! she started turning her own head and sleeping on both sides). It was awful and v tiring, but seems to have paid off.

Our GP did refer us for physio, but the physiotherapist was a nightmare - told me my child would be permanently deformed and I'd left it too late at 12w, I should have seen her at 2w. Our GP was horrified and referred us to a paediatrician who could and did then refer us to his hospital physio department for "proper management" (his words in the letter!).

The repositioning/pillow/stretching really did help - the flat head definitely rounded.

Meanwhile we took DD to a helmet clinic for an assessment. I thoroughly recommend the Ahead4Babies clinic. I took her at 4m, knowing they won't do anything till 5m anyway, giving us time to think. We saw Dr Huppa - fantastic. Straightforward, no BS, compassionate. Explained the measurements and consequences up front, before even examining DD. Then examined DD - 7mm, classified as 'mild' (10mm = severe), and therefore 'we do not advise a helment'. There was no fee for an initial assessment. Since we were obviously concerned (thanks to cr@p physio telling us DD was severely deformed!), Dr Huppa gave us another appt 6 weeks later to remeasure. When I asked the cost, fully expecting and willing to pay for the appt time, I was told that it's free - no treatment, no charge - and he did not expect treatment to be necessary.

have a look at the clinic's website, it gives some useful advice, and they're happy to look at photos too... Good luck, and try not to worry, 4m is definitely not too late, especially if it's not severe.

My DS is 2 at the end of this month and I can still see the flat bit on his head.

Like you OP I noticed it around 4 months. Got the usual crap of, oh it will sort itself out, do tummy time etc, move his head into different positions. Well, it isn't as bad as it used to be but I notice it all the time, although my friends have said they can't see it. I really notice it when he has a hat on too and when he looks in the mirror, I see that he isn't quite symetrical. He hated tummy time, I used to go in at night and turn his head the other way, he would turn it straight back again and I put toys all on the other side so he would have to turn his head to look at them which he never did (there isn't anything wrong with his neck etc).

I had a brief look in to the helmet therapy but I didn't like the cost, and I really didn't like the amount of time he would have to wear it for. Unfortunately, as he is a boy, he is likely to always have short hair where you can see it more. I also had all the comments of "oh his hair will cover it" Thats not the flippin point!!

At 4 months, you still have plenty of time. I would say that if you can get your DS to turn his head, go with that and keep using the pillow. I never got the pillow as DS was 5 months when I found it and it said use from 0-4 months so I thought it was too late. As he is going to spend another few months laying down, you have the time now to change things. I just wish I had done more tbh.

Wow! Thank you so much to everyone for the massive response. This just shows me the problem is widespread and i'm not on my own. Since posting i've been to the GP and got an appointment with a paediatrician this coming Tuesday. I have also done lots of repositioning techniques, moved his cot, bought a Goi Goi pillow etc.
I feel much more confident with my impending discussion with the doctor and I won't be fobbed off! Thank you once again ladies. Awareness about this condition is everything! I will let you know what they say!!

A very grateful Jo7249

Hi Jo

I also used a helmet for my son, who had a very asymmetric head and a bulgy forehead. He wore the helmet from 5-10 months and his head ended up nearly round again.

My second son developed a flattish head at the back but it was perfectly symmetrical and I kept an eye on it and used repositioning pillows from a very young age and it has almost completely corrected itself now - he is 14 months old.

I definitely made the right decision concerning my older son though. We went to a not-for-profit organisation which cost £2k but I felt it wasn't worth the risk waiting to see if it would correct itself. It was very noticable and his face was becoming misshapen which is heartbreaking to see. Other people do just give you platitudes as somebody else said, but they just don't know what else to say. They can't very well say, yes, your baby does look very strange! I am sure that if there was countrywide funding for this then GPs would recognise the problem. As there isn't, then they can't really admit that it is a problem, can they? As they cannot provide any treatment.

Some of my friends thought I was wasting my time. One friend's son's head corrected itself a bit but wasn't too bad to begin with. Another friend's son's head hasn't corrected itself and I notice it every time I see him. But maybe someone else wouldn't as much - maybe I am looking for it more.

Anyway, go with your instinct. People said that hair would cover it, but what if he went bald in later life! And I had to explain that I didn't think it worth correcting his wonky head!

Good luck

I would try an ostoepath (sp)? Amazing after a few visits!

Hi everyone,

Me again! Had the appointment with the paeditrician and after checking my little boy was meeting developmental targets
((Yes??? We knew that!!)) She was then ready to 'see us again in 8 weeks!!'

It was then that I said we came because Plagio is NOT a cosmetic issue as it can cause problems with eyesight, hearing etc. . . She seemed to realise we were not being fobbed off with excuses that it MIGHT get better. She did not even suggest repositioning, special pillows etc. . In other words I feel she hadn't a clue!
There was NO advice given to us at all! Just a feeling that we should live with our son's head being like that! No reassurance! She could not tell us if the skull bones had bonded on that side.

After speaking to the chief paeditrician she came back and immediately referred us to have an x-ray and see a neurosurgeon. Progress!!!

Why should I just 'wait and see' what happens to my son's head when we could be preventing or treating it before it gets worse!
So my son had his xray and is now waiting for an appointment with a neurosurgeon. Anyone else have experience of this route?? And what will happen next?

Thanks once again everyone!