Flat head

[mummywingingit]

Hello,

My little boy is three months old and has a noticeable flat head at the back, pretty much whole back, but slight flatter on the left.
He does tummy time, lays on my chest for periods of time, and has a cushion for when awake only that is designed to help flat head syndrome, but so far I've noticed no change.

Has anyone had experience with this? And did your child's head correct itself once baby was sitting up and spending less time laying? I'm a bit worried about how flat it is...seeing HV tomorrow, but just seeing if anyone can share experience and outcomes...

Thanks

We paid privately for a helmet for ds when he was 7 months old for this.

It cost 2 thousand pounds

The nhs said it would un flatten as he got older but we know a little boy who's never did! The nhs weren't willing to do anything as its 'cosmetic'

Ds' looked bad, he also had something called frontal bossing with his plagiocephaly were his forehead looked really big and was more stuck out on one side and his ears weren't in line as well as looking like he'd been hit over back and side of his head with a spade several times..

He wore the helmet for 23 hours a day for 5 months was originally supposed to be for 8 months but it worked quickly and his head is fine now. He wore it from 7 months to 12 months (He's 5yr old now) his forehead and ears look fine too.

The clinic did a 3D scan before and after of his skull and it changed the shape of it dramatically.

We had to travel regularly by train for 5 months and it cost a fortune with the travelling and the cost of the helmet but we don't regret it one bit!

My DS was noticeable on one side due to ignored (not by me, by the "GP") torticollis. Very bad. On the flattened side he had a "corner" behind his ear and at one point his face was very round which was kind of cute, but also distressing. I panicked and obsessed about it so I understand you.

He still has a slightly flatter point on the back of his head now (6) but it is only noticeable if you're looking and even with short hair, you likely wouldn't know. In fact, I just had a look in the bath and it isn't noticeable at all any more. It seems to have evened out more and more every year. And his head is "long" enough now (I said I obsessed over it!)

We considered the helmet but opted for special pillow with a hole in and neck exercises (I would get up in the night to reposition his head every few hours!). I thought that would be the least distressing for DS.

It is really difficult deciding how to manage it when you know that it could have potential implications for your child's future but rationalising it, you don't see many school age children with unusual heads, do you? So perhaps they really do just even out naturally?

Thanks ladies...
I looked at helmet but we just can't afford it, even if paid monthly as I'm on mat leave still and losing well over half my wage 😢
I've got a pillow with the hole too that he uses except at night.
I spoke to HV and she said not to worry and when he is more mobile and not on his back it will correct itself and hair will cover.
Good point about not seeing many children with funny heads...although, my cousin had a very flat head and it's still a bit flat now! I notice it because o cut his hair

This blogger used exercises instead of a helmet: www.swaddlesnbottles.com/2875-2/

DS had congenital torticollis and had a severe plagiocephaly. His head was
triangular shaped (like a Trivial Pursuit Wedge) prior to having surgery at 8 months old. Within 18 months his head had rounded out and has no flatness now (& he's 15 this year). I researched the helmets then & our consultant told me not to get one.

We also ended up paying privately for a helmet for DS, who had severe plagiocephaly and brachiocephaly. It worked brilliantly and quicker than anticipated and now at 2.8 years his head is normal. Exercises and a pillow did my work for us unfortunately.

Could you look into funding? Some charities help, we borrowed money off family.

My DS has a really flat head until he started sitting up, he is 15 months and it's fine now and has been for a long time

My sons head was so flat! I was told to wait until he could sit and I eventually it just sorted its self out :) it's a worry though so I know how you feel. I used to cry about it and looked at the helmets but decided I really didn't want to go down that road and glad I didn't as he's totally fine now.

@chickenalapesh I think I'm going to wait until he is sitting and crawling etc and see if it corrects itself. MIL said if need be they will fund a helmet, but that's purely because she thinks it looks weird!
The pillow we have used for three weeks has done nothing, but continue to use out of fear it may be worse without it. The HV was pretty useless and said when his hair grows it will cover it! I'm more worried if it effects his forehead and alignment of facial features more than anything, so keeping and eye!
He hates tummy time which isn't useful! He has colic and reflux, so I think being on tummy aggravates him...so we do 5 min stints atm as by that point he gets so upset. I sit him up on my lap, but none of it is really working any miracles, so think it will be a wait and see exercise x

Does anyone have any experience of this later on? My daughters head only became an issue at about 12 weeks. Initially it was very noticibly angled on the right hand side but we did followed all the repositioning advice and although the side of the head is more normal the back is much flatter. She’s 9 months now and crawling etc so I’m really starting to panic that it’s not going to improve. Everyone I speak to says docs and HV will just dismiss it but I really don’t want her to have to live with an oddly shaped head?

A health visitor once said that most babies have a flat ish head at the back until they start sitting by themselves and sleeping on their side. X