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Children's health

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Original poster

Just got back from doctors and very worried.

22 replies

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:03

I've just got back from the doctors after the 2 month check up for my DD. She always sleeps on her back following the advice to help prevent SID's. But she always turns her head to one side, this means one side of her head is very slightly flat. I noticed a couple of days ago and decided not to worry about it, so I am now feeling very guilty. The doctor was concerned and told me to put her to sleep on her side instead. I told her about my concern about SID's and she looked at me as if I was crazy. I am now very confused in what to do, how should I put my baby to sleep? What problems can occur if her head is a little flat? I'm also worried, now I've come home, about the rate her head is growing. The doctor didn't mention any thing about this, but her head circumference has now dropped slightly below the 50% percentile on the graph. It was always dead on 50% before.

Sorry to waffle I'm just confused and worried. I live in Spain, so I understand that the advice could be different at times, but it still is a European country.

OP posts:

fluffyanimal · 22/07/2009 13:07

If it were me I would keep putting her to sleep on her back but maximise awake time in different positions - propped up, supported on tummy, carried upright etc. I'm no expert but I think flat headedness tends to correct itself if you do this.

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:08

Thanks.

OP posts:

OnceWasSquiffy · 22/07/2009 13:09

You can use a 'sleep positioner' to put her on her other side if you want. That will stop her rolling onto her fornt.

you can buy them online.

Marthasmama · 22/07/2009 13:13

AFAIK a flat head is only an aesthetic issue and once your dd has hair it won't be a problem. Are you breast or formula feeding? If you're ff then you could try swapping sides like you would with a bfed baby as this apparently helps to develop a round head. I'd stick to my guns about placing her to sleep on her back, the flat head is only an aesthetic issue not a health one. HTH

Oh you could also try popping her the other way round in the cot on occasion. She might turn her head the other way......

aendr · 22/07/2009 13:16

You could ask the people at FSID for advice. I know you can also get cushions with holes in which support the head while asleep to work on the flat bit, but I don't know what they're called.

smartiejake · 22/07/2009 13:24

I had heard that cranial asteopathy was good for sorting out these kinds of problems in babies.
My nephew had a very odd shaped head and the osteo sorted it out after only a few treatmtnets.

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:25

Thanks so much every one. Sorry DD was a bit fussy so I had to go and sshh... She had her jabs today so is a bit upset.

I will try putting her in her cot the other way round.

She is exclusively BF.

Does anyone know anything about head circumference she is only 0.5cm off the 50% percentile. Should I worry?

OP posts:

Seona1973 · 22/07/2009 13:27

I used a goi goi pillow for ds when his head started to flatten and it helped a lot.

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:27

thanks smartiejake, I don't think her head is that bad yet, but i don't fancy my chances of finding a child osteo in Spain. They seem to be very medical here.

OP posts:

midnightexpress · 22/07/2009 13:27

What marthasmama said. DS1 had this, and once his hair grew, you couldn't see it at all. Occasionally now when we wash his hair (he's 3.8 now), I notice that it's a bit flat at one side and remember how stressed I got about it when he was wee, but it's not a problem at all. I wouldn't worry.

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:33

Thanks I'm looking at the goi goi pillows at the moment. They look great!

OP posts:

EverythingsPink · 22/07/2009 13:34

Sorry - haven't read all the replies so apologies if i repeat what others have said. We had same 'problem' at about 2-3m DD's head started to look very mishapen and a bit odd - especially because of bald patch too!

We continued to put her to sleep on her back and the doc suggested we try and move her head every so often then she wasn't always lying on the same spot. We rarely did as we were afraid of waking her! He also suggested raising the top of her cot or letting her sleep in a 'baby rocker thing'sometimes during the day so she wasn't always flat on her back - less pressure on the back of her head.

We did get referred to a consultant who checked her over and asked lots of scary questions about her development. Everything was fine - try not to worry - i'm sure this will be the case with you. It was only months later that we realised the problem had rectified itself.

DD is now 18m and has a beautiful round head to be proud of - and no bald patch or development probs. Try not to get hung up on measurements. Keep on at your doc to get a referrment to a consultant if you're still worried and in the mean time try to vary her sleeping position a little.

try not to worry. xx

EllieG · 22/07/2009 13:35

Please don't worry about it. My DD's head was very flat at 4 months because she always slept with her head to one side and hated tummy time. I gradually increased tummy time and did use a sleep positioner, but tbh it made little difference. When she was bigger and could move around more her head went back to normal. Now she is 15 month if you looked and you knew how flat her head was (very) you might notice it was still a teeny bit under her hair, but you wouldn't notice if you didn't know. I know is easy to say, but please don't worry, your baby's head will be fine x

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:35

Thanks midnightexpress, I know I need to calm down. I always panic about something after the check ups.

So every one is sure its not a medical problem, only an aesthetic one.

Thanks so much everyone

OP posts:

Bettymum · 22/07/2009 13:37

Re the head percentiles, my friend got herself in a real state as her DS's head massively expanded between checkups and the HVs were worried about swelling...well it was back to normal at the next checkup. Apparently heads are just hard to measure accurately and consistently, so it's normal to get some funny measurements. I stopped getting DD's measured as her growth line was bouncing all over the place. Her head looks fine to me .

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:37

We do alot of tummy time and have done since birth. She very rarely is on that side of her head, only when she is sleeping.

OP posts:

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:41

Thanks Bettymum. I really get hung up on these graphs. My DH wants to tear them out the book. Last month I was worried as her weight had dropped below the 50% line. This month she has put on 1kg 300g and is back on the line again. I also worry that she is 50% for weight, but over the 85% for height. The doctor isn't worried though.

As I say every time we have one of these check ups I panic!

OP posts:

Original poster

Chica31 · 22/07/2009 13:43

I've just ordered a goi goi pillow thanks!

OP posts:

Bettymum · 22/07/2009 13:46

Ah Chica, don't panic! I think you would know if something was really wrong with your DD.
Well mine is a tall skinny thing, she's 75th for height and 25th for weight. But she's lively and healthy which is the main thing. I think she does waver around the centiles a little but over time you can see that she's pretty steady. She's 18 months though so there's a longer timeline to look at, 2 months isn't very long to try and spot a trend.
x

suwoo · 22/07/2009 13:48

Just wanted to say that although DS didn't have a mis-shapen head, he did have a very small head. He was on the 25th centile for weight, 50th for height and his head was below the 9th .

You never looked at him and thought, wow that baby has a small head, but you could tell it was more petite than his peers. I did panic at one time and started a thread on here which gave me lots of reassurance.

HTH

DrCosyTiger · 22/07/2009 14:03

Hi everyone. My DD also has a very flat head on one side, she's been that way since being in a breech position and always sleeps on her flat side. Unfortunately I can't do tummy time as she's temporarily in a harness to correct a dislocated hip, also a result of her being breech. And I'm scared to try and move her sleeping position as she sleeps badly anyway in the harness and I don't want to make things worse. I've just been looking at the goi goi pillow. It looks great but I thought pillows were supposed to be unsafe for children under 1 due to risk of suffocation. Does anyone know anything about this? Is the goi goi pillow safe? I don't want to use it for what after all is only an aesthetic problem if there's any risk to my LO at all ...

Chica - sorry I feel I am hijacking your thread! But I really don't think you have anything to worry about either from what everyone else is saying. But I know what you mean - it's so easy to worry yourself sick isn't it?

Original poster

Chica31 · 23/07/2009 14:49

Hi drCosyTiger, looking into these pillows they seem that they are safe as they are special designed. I'll see what it looks like when it comes.

Thanks for your support everyone, I have calmed down alot now xx

OP posts:

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