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Original poster

Positional plagiocephaly

13 replies

Loveindia · 24/09/2017 16:19

Looking for advice and reassurance! My 10 month old has positional plagiocephaly and it's stressing me out!!! She had a difficult birth and favoured sleeping looking to the left. I didn't think much of it until she developed flattening. I then bought a lovenest pillow which I used until she was 7 months, I position the cot,bath and changing mat so she's always looking to the right, I've tried a sleep curve mattress which she doesn't like and I try re positioning when she's asleep but she just puts herself back where she's comfortable! I'm looking to get a mimos pillow next to try that! My husband does not want her to have a helmet. Any others out there with similar situations, advice or ones who have had this and it's resolved on its own??? It really stresses me out!! She's now crawling so apart from naps she's never on her back.

Positional plagiocephaly
Positional plagiocephaly
OP posts:
itstheyearzero · 24/09/2017 16:27

My DS had a completely flat head when he was a baby. It was flat at the back, I think because he was very ill, was slow to sit up and spent a lot of time lying down. I did kind of worry about it but with everything else that was going on with him I kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I'd say by about 5 it was a lot better and now at 8 it's hardly noticeable.

Your DD's doesn't look any worse than DS's did, and in my opinion she doesn't need a helmet. HTH

Skyline11 · 13/10/2017 18:50

Hi there,
I noticed from a young age that our son had a very flat head on one side, and that his head was quite mis shapen. He favoured leaning on one side and no matter what we did it did not change. I kept asking our health visitor & the gp about it but the advise given is that it will grow out.
At 10 months I felt it hadn't really improved. Our son had been sitting up for a good few months, crawling and not being on his back so I felt we had given it a good enough chance to have improved.Also things like the pillow were not any help now since he moved around so much at night.

I tried to put this to the back of my mind, but it was really bothering me. A friend recommended visiting a cranial osteopath, I took her advise and went to see one. She of course saw why I had come straight away, she felt his head and said there was room to help improve his head shape still as it was quite soft still. She did ask for our thoughts on the helmet, and gave us some details of the clinic she recommends her clients to, she was very positive in her feedback of them and said they offer a free non obligatory consulation so it was worth bearing in mind. I have to say this was really not the route I wanted to go down.

I went away thinking about what she had said, and thought why not go for the free appointment, just to get all the information for myself and then I can make an informed decision.

We went to the LOC clinic in Kingston and saw one of the consultants. As she had described they were really friendly, and not pushy at all. They took the measurements of our sons head, and calculated a percentage using the figures. To my suprise our son fell within the severe catagory, the lower end of it but still the severe catagory (It goes in Normal, mild, moderate, severe). This was for both braciocephaly & plagiocephaly. Again they didn't even ask us if we wanted to proceed, they just gave the information.
My other half and I had already decided that if they thought it would be for the best then we would go for it.

We are only a month in and have our second check up tomorrow. Our son has adjusted fantastically to the helmet, he doesnt even notice he is wearing it and has it on for 22 hours a day. They really arent as bulky as we thought either, he looks quite cute wearing it!
I cant say what the improvements are yet as we are only just starting this, but I am pleased we went ahead with the decision to give him a chance of it rounding out. And at the end of the day its only a few months of their life, which they will not remember!

If it is bothering you, there is no harm in getting a free consultation just to see what they say. And its not too late!

PacificDogwod · 13/10/2017 18:58

Loveindia, what have your GP and HV said about your DD's head?

It really looks not bad on the picture you've posted.

My DS2 was born prematurely and was bald as a coot until he was 2 which made staring at his wonky skull so much easier.... Wink
It all worked itself out when he started having less naps, he is now 13, has a beautifully round head - all hidden under thick curls Grin

I'd not worry unless a trained HCP tells you to.

BarbarianMum · 13/10/2017 21:11

Bless you but her head is fine. Lots of children and adults are walking around with little flat patches like this on their skull. You can't tell because of their hair. Remember also that her skull will continue to grow so the flat bit will become proportionally smaller and smaller as she gets older.

Original poster
Loveindia · 13/10/2017 21:26

Thank you ladies for your replies! Both gp and physio say it will grow out! But you always just worry that it won't! Like the gp said... how many older children and adults do you notice with a flat head?! I can't say I've ever thought someone looked like they had an odd shaped head so that's reassuring 😂 Xx

OP posts:
Skyline11 · 14/10/2017 08:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

INeedNewShoes · 14/10/2017 08:23

If you went into a reception classroom and shaved all the children's hair off you would see quite a few wonky heads. Once they're covered by hair it's not noticeable and doesn't matter.

The NHS stopped using helmets to treat as there's no evidence that there is any real benefit.

As long as your DD's head is only that shape due to preference for sleeping in one position it's not a problem. If she has restricted movement on one side then that does need treatment.

My baby has a flat head due to a sternocleidomastoid tumour which is being treated with physio. I've had reassurance from a number of medical professionals that as long as we can reduce the lump and improve her range of movement then the flat head will resolve itself or not be a problem.

somethingDifferent38 · 14/10/2017 08:30

My DSs head was at least this flattened, sort of on one side at the back, but doctors reassured me it would resolve by itself and it did. I'd forgotten all about it til you mentioned this, tho at the time I was quite concerned about it!
Try not to worry, I think the technical name makes it sound much scarier than it is!

somethingDifferent38 · 14/10/2017 08:34

I just had a look at the helmets, and personally I'd be more worried about something designed to apply pressure to reshape a babies head than the head being a funny shape :-o

Muddling2 · 14/10/2017 17:57

If it helps DD2 was born with uni coronal craniosynotosis, had frontal orbital surgery & we have never had a helmet recommended or advised.

MEAlfie · 16/12/2021 16:55

Hi,
Just wondered if you have an update on this, my Son is 14 month now and still has Positional plagiocephaly did your daughter improve over time?

Hotpinkangel19 · 06/01/2022 22:58

I was told my son would grow out of it - he's 14 now and while it's less noticeable, it's still flat.

Mano2020 · 07/01/2022 22:56

My son had plagiocephaly due to torticollis. He has been wearing a helmet to correct this for the last 11 months and it is now near perfect. He is 18 months now.

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