Worried about 9 month baby's flat head

[Cjjm22]

I dont know if this is in the right section, to be honest i could barely work out how to post a thread on this site.
Worrying about babys flat head.
We told health visitor at 8 week appt little on was favouring one side, she never came back to help or check. When ive messaged for help over things she's just said shes on holiday. Never seen or heard from her again.
Babys now favouring the other side and his left ear sticks out more than the right. I thought this was just him pushing it out laying on it where its soft and growing still but he also has a slightly smaller or different eye. Now noticed a flat area on his head. He has a head full of hair so only notice when touching it. He has a bald patch but not in that place.
Ive messaged a cranial osteopath and hope to speak or see them next week.
Hes the most beautiful baby i have seen in my life and i feel so guilty even thinking hes less than perfect but i dont want to fail him and feel so sad im sat in the bathroom crying. Will he be wonky when he grows up 😪

As someone who has gone through this, I would say it will for sure be less noticeable as he grows. My son also had a flat spot. He is nearly 2 now and I can still tell because I obsessed with it, but don’t think anyone else looks at him and thinks “oh that boy has a flat head”. I was borderline getting the helmet but decided not to in the end, and although I can’t say whether I did the right thing or not, I’m at peace with his head shape now. I opted for a Babymoov pillow and a cranial osteopath instead, but honestly don't think those improved anything except my own guilt, feeling like I was doing something about it. His head shape started improving at around 7 months once he had been sitting up for a bit. The only thing is that the flattening caused his ears to stick out at the top, and still do, so would a helmet have prevented that? Who knows?

However, each case is different and it is difficult to assess without pictures. I definitely think some do need a helmet. I was at a soft play the other day and there was little girl of around 2 and the back of her head was like a cliff edge and she had a very wide face and bulging forehead. I felt awful for her because that is unlikely to correct and did noone warn her mum about it? And, as a person who has obsessed with their baby's flat head, I DO notice adults with flat heads.

See pictures below of my son at 4 months (when I started noticing the flatness), 11 months and now at 22 months old

Thanks for your reply, your little boy is very sweet.
We are seeing the osteopath who specialises in children, she says he has tight neck and is working on that. We bought the babymoov pillow but im scared to use at night so have put a bit of soft padding under his sheet by his head so its softer, and use the pillow for naps and nappy changes.
I hope his little ear evens up id hate him to be picked on for it.
He has such beautiful thick hair pics wouldnt show the flatness.
Thank you for hope x

My baby slept only on his left side when he was born for months and months, no matter how much we moved him onto his back so he had a very noticeable flatness on one side. He's 6 yo now and I'm the only one who would ever even notice there's a slight unevenness and his hair covers it anyway.

DS1 was very lopsided as a baby and toddler. Really, really noticeable.
At the time I don't think they did anything like helmets but doctors said he would grow out of it, which he did. He's 27 now and perfectly symmetrical, at least as much as anyone is.

Thank you all, i will try to stress less about it xx thank you x

Hi OP I'm in a very similar situation to you at tbe moment - what did you end up doing? Have you seen any progress?

Hello, I'm thrilled to say he's now 14 months and all wonkyness of ear and eye (which was quite noticeable) has fully resolved, and the osteo helped his head tilt to go comepletely, i think we inly had 4 sessions and it was quite bad, which resulted in him suddenly laying on his side. The head at the back is still slightly flattened but is still improving. Have a look on the plagicephaly torticollis group on Facebook, you can send a photo and the doctor in America assesses your bubba. Hugs to you it's a very distressing thing, that some people just don't understand x

Thank you so much for replying! That's wonderful news and gives me hope! All the best to you and your little boy xxx

Thank you, honestly I had sleepless nights and lots of tears and it is so worrying but hopefully your little one will be OK soon :) one day we just thought, oh! You can't see it anymore :) after 6 months of age it can't get any worse so it's either improvement from there on, or it will be no worse than it is at that point. Let me know how you get on xx

I'm pleased to hear your baby has improved 😊. Would you mind if I asked how yours was compared to my son? He's had awful reflux and hates tummy time. He'd never sleep on my chest like my first did (assume reflux relayed, hated slings too..). Now I look all photos of him he has always favoured the same side, but my first was 25 months when he was born and I think I was so exhausted I didn't notice 😪. I feel awful in case it doesn't correct. Am so sad for the poor boy. It's so prominent when I look at him. He's 5.5 months now so more upright now than before and hopefully won't get worse.

Hello, our baby has always had long dark hair so the only time I see it on his head is in the bath, it has improved massively in the last 5 months, i dont know what it was like before 9 months as i just didn't spot it sadly. I only then noticed his ear was wonky, then his eye, researched causes then checked his head. is he rolling over yet? There's a thing called the perfect noggin (check out Facebook) which has had enormous improvement for some in literally days, so if he is not rolling back to front yet you may get a marked improvement even if only a few weeks worth. It will stop flattening at 6 months when the massive head growth spurt passes and slower growth begins so you're almost at the point it won't get worse 💓

Also I would say if he is still favouring one side you should get that sorted :) same as you I look at photos and although I knew he favoured a side and the health visitor said try and stop it (🤷‍♀️ literally physically impossible for them without help) I can see from birth he often rested his left ear on his left shoulder and this is how he would have been in the womb. 4 sessions at osteo everything like that was sorted x

Thank you 😊. I thought it might be too late for osteopath but he definitely still favours one side so it won't hurt to contact one. He's not rolling yet but I don't think it will be too much longer so I think I might have missed the boat for the perfect noggin. Hopefully he will grow out of it 🤞

We didn't start osteo til 9 months, it's never too late if the problem is still there. If he's not rolling I'd personally try the perfect noggin I wish I'd been able to. Little one has a little flat ledge that I reckon will always be there now. There's one for £40 on ebay at the mo. Good luck xx

Lots of useful suggestions on your thread. I have also just noticed flat bit on the back of my baby’s head. He’s six months and I’m worried sick I’ve noticed it too late. Can I ask how did you go about finding the osteopath ? I’ve bought the MIMOS pillow but not seeing any improvement. Also trying to keep him off his back as much as possible.

It's horrible finding it isn't It, 6 months isn't too late, it can be helped until they're plates close around 18 months. It shouldn't get any worse than it is now. The pillow won't round the flat bit but may be stopping it flatten more, you just won't notice. I don't know if our pillow helped but i felt I was at least actively trying something. I'd definitely try an osteopath, we were lucky a renowned worked at the end of our road, if you phone any osteopath they should have a directory that they can help find you someone who can help. Ours had a pediatric specialist in practice but I think they can all help really, she just taught me lots. I'd also definitely join the perfect noggin plagiocephaly group on facebook if you are on there and send them a pic, they reply to and advise everyone and they really really put my mind at ease x hope that helps x

**Their plates!

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. Feel like like I’m anxiously analysing his head everyday now.I’ve managed to book in with an osteopath next week which specialises in children. I will send a pic to perfect noggin as well.

I still do the same x wishing you all the best x

I've been through this and it was the most worrying conflicting times ever. Your team sound shot though which is the difference, I'd be badgering above her or go to GP.

In our case he was very prem so his skull hadn't really formed. He preferred one side but not all the way over. He had torticollis which was tight neck muscles so he couldn't turn his head properly.

We had to do physios and lots of tummy time. It was really bad and I debated a helmet and in hindsight I wish we had done that too.

It has got better but I do see it still and it upsets me we didn't do more for him.

Maybe it's cos he's very fair and the men in the family line go bald and I'm just an overprotective mum.

He really needs to be assessed - I'll try and find some links to the physio we done.

I thought I'd revisit this thread in case anyone finds it helpful in the future. I'll try and give another update in the future if I remember. My son is nearly 8 months now and obviously spending a lot more time upright. I know he still has a way to go but it looks like his head is slowly correcting itself. The photos are 2 months apart. I'm hopeful in time it will near enough be normal. I've only encouraged him to be upright more. He still hates tummy time (possibly PTSD as he had such bad reflux. I think it's unlikely he'll ever crawl..).

So cute and he looks amazing. Last time I posted on this thread, almost 2 months ago, my little one still had an improved but rather flat bit on his head, but as of his last bath and hair wash , and after a growth spurt, it's rounded out 97% or more! I'm so happy, he's 16.5 months now. I'm sure your little man will keep improving too, the worry and unknown is so real but in most cases I think it does seem to get better with a bit of care ❤️

Oh and we said our boy wouldn't crawl, he hated tummy time and showed no signs at all, but he did, when he was 11 months old!! Now running all over the place. He might surprise you 😀