Is this baby's head shape normal......

[warmsummersday]

Hi. A mum I know had her baby 5 weeks ago. The baby will only turn his head one way. One side of his face and head is flat while the other half looks quite normal. Doc has not really said anything about it and mum just said 'must get that checked again'

Has anyone else seen this. My friend's little boy had flat head syndrome when a baby and had to wear sa helmet, im wondering if this is a similar thing but on the side of his face.

Go and get the baby checked.

You need the assymetry measured and is neck muscles checked.

My daughter had plagiocepaly and the GP was crap. We went to Harley Street in the end and got her a helmet which she wore for 3 months. He assymetry went from 1.7cm to 0.3cm.

his

plagiocephaly

My son had this. Please please get her to take her baby to a cranial osteopath ASAP. Within 2 sessions and a special pillow he could turn his head very well and the flat side was more rounded.

Tell her to ignore gps who say they will grow out of it!

I would make a suggestion to your friend that she should take her baby to see a cranial osteopath.

It is a non-invasive treatment, so won't cause any upset.

DS could only move his head in one direction after he was born. We went to see a CO within a week of his birth and he was able to turn his head in both directions after one session.

My friend had a little girl who couldn't turn her head in both directions and also had a flat head on one side. She took her daughter to see a CO when she was about 3-4 months old, after a few sessions her little girls head shape started to mould back into a normal shape.

And the ones who say it is just cosmetic.

He could have a degree of torticollis, which is a shortening of one of the muscles in his neck. Can be caused by either position in utero or trauma during birth. Also will typically present when the baby is 2-4 weeks.
My DD2 had this, was daignosed with mild plagiocephally and referred to a physio. The physio picked up on the torticollis which was the cause of her plagiocephally. Had a few sessions and is much better now, still a bit stiff on her left side but improving.
Would recommend that she gets him checked again, can your friend try to get a physio referral from her HV?

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt snap.

My cranial osteopath would say things like 'right I'm just going to move his eyes' and low and behold he moved his eyes by moving his skull slightly so my son's face was more symmetrical. Sounds amazing but their skulls are so malleable when they are tiny babies.

Oh and he held him upside down a lot to straighten out his spine.

Thanks for your replies. Thing is I see her at a toddler group once a week and chat abit and don't know how I would suggest something like this. I was going to tell her about my friend's LO who had a helmet but then though it might scare her!

Take a deep breath and broach the subject. Make it clear that you are trying to help her lo, and that you're not being a busy-body or nosey.

Good luck

my DS had this. Badly flattened head (unable to turn it any way but left) and torticollis. Muscles were damaged from horrible forceps birth. We decided against the helmet thing in the end, and his head rounded out fine. But, he needed almost a year of physio to strengthen up the muscles. Very important that they get the physio if they need it. Might be a way in? Could talk about the lack of movement and suggest they they discuss it with GP. My HV and Midwife were hopeless. Luckily had a good GP and consultant.

Don't mention a helmet - it prob won't come to that if she gets help soon.

Don't mention a helmet - it prob won't come to that if she gets help soon.