How to Keep Baby From Getting Flat Head
Past Caitlin Lipscomb, PT, DPT
When you have a new baby, there are thousands of concerns constantly running through your caput. Is he getting enough to eat? Is her crib prophylactic? Is that poop a normal color? And in recent years, a new concern is plaguing parents -- is my baby'due south head getting apartment? Plagiocephaly, or "Flat Caput Syndrome", is a common and treatable condition seen in many infants, just information technology tin can be alarming when first spotted by parents. Read on to learn more about plagiocephaly and how to prevent information technology from developing in your infant.
What is Plagiocephaly (aka "Flat Head Syndrome")?
Since the 1990's, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has promoted the "Dorsum to Sleep" entrada, which recommends that infants should simply sleep on their backs. Although this has helped reduce the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), head and cervix problems like plagiocephaly accept increased. Plagiocephaly is the flattening that is seen on the back of a baby's head, often on one side, as a result of prolonged pressure. In more than astringent cases of plagiocephaly, additional deformity of the skull can be seen such as bumping out of the forehead or asymmetrical alignment of the ears.
How Does Plagiocephaly Occur?
A apartment spot on a baby's head tin can develop in a few dissimilar ways. Flattening tin can happen in the womb if the head is positioned against the pelvis for an extended menses or if there is less space for the baby to easily alter positions, such as in the case of twins or triplets. A baby tin can also appear to accept a misshapen head following delivery, but this will generally only concluding a few days.
More normally, plagiocephaly develops after birth when the baby is spending a significant amount of time on his or her back. A newborn often spends anywhere from 14-xviii hours a day sleeping, and if a parent is post-obit the AAP's guidelines, that means lying on their back in a crib or bassinet. And if a infant is spending a significant amount of time in a car seat, swing, or bouncy seat, almost the entirety of their 24-hour interval could be spent on their backs! Furthermore, a infant's skull is designed to exist soft and moldable to allow for rapid growth in the first few months of life. This "soft head" combined with endless hours lying on their backs is the perfect recipe for the development of plagiocephaly.
How Practise Y'all Spot Plagiocephaly?
Even for those who have never heard of plagiocephaly, the first signs of it developing can easily be spotted by parents. You may notice the following:
● The center of the head looks apartment or less rounded than information technology once did
● One side of the back of the head looks flatter than the other side
● Your babe has a baldheaded spot on one role of their caput
● Your baby strongly prefers keeping their head turned in ane direction (to the right or to the left) whenever they are lying on their backs
● One ear looks flattened or like it is pushed further forrard than the other ear
● I side of the forehead looks like it is bulging out further than the other side
● Disproportion of your babe'due south eyes, cheeks, or jaw (in astringent cases)
How Practice You Prevent Plagiocephaly?
Although it might seem like the evolution of a flat spot is inevitable in the newborn phase, you tin can use the following tips and positioning strategies to preclude plagiocephaly (and promote appropriate development) in your baby:
● Breadbasket Time: By practicing 30-lx minutes of stomach time per day in the first few months of life, your baby will be spending less time on their backs and will also be developing the neck force to freely move their head around. Tum time can be
done on the floor, over a pillow/towel roll, or on a parent's chest.
● Sidelying: During awake fourth dimension on the floor, support your baby on their side with your paw or past placing a rolled towel backside their back. Encourage reaching for toys in this position and make sure to switch sides later on a few minutes!
● Active head movement: When your baby is starting to track objects, encourage them to actively plow their head to the right and left to follow a toy or your face. They may need some aid from you lot until they go stronger!
● Avoid spending time in "containers": Avoid spending more than than an hour or two a 24-hour interval in a carseat, swing, or bouncy seat, if possible. Endeavour to hold your baby more often or utilize a baby carrier if yous need to get things done effectually the house! (Please annotation that this does non include bassinets or cribs for sleeping).
● Alternating sleep position: Try rotating which cease you lie your infant's head down in the bassinet or crib for slumber. If your babe strongly prefers rotating their head in one management during sleep despite the direction they are placed, try to position their head in the other direction once they fall asleep.
● Avert "plagiocephaly" pillows: These are being heavily marketed on Facebook and other online sites--these are non approved for safe sleep.
The proficient news is that equally a baby grows and develops in the first few months of life, they will begin to spend less time on the dorsum of their head without any effort from you! By iv-6 months of age, your infant should be rolling onto their tummy independently during floor play and may brainstorm sitting independently around 6 months of historic period.
What Should I Do if I Have Connected Concerns?
Your doctor may recommend a cranial helmet which would help to promote proper molding of your baby's head equally they grow.
Although plagiocephaly may be prevented with the recommendations discussed above, it can persist in some babies and may grow quite severe. Despite an alarming appearance, astringent plagiocephaly is considered a cosmetic business organisation and it should non affect your child's development. Your doctor may recommend a cranial helmet which would aid to promote proper molding of your babe's caput every bit they grow. Your doctor may as well refer you lot to a physical therapist to address plagiocephaly, especially if they as well notice torticollis, or neck tightness, in your baby. Torticollis and plagiocephaly occur together very frequently and a physical therapist tin show you cervix stretching and strengthening activities to help accost both of these issues.
Your kid's pediatrician should screen for plagiocephaly and torticollis at early well-kid checks, merely e'er voice any concerns you might have! Early identification and treatment of plagiocephaly and torticollis results in a ameliorate upshot for your baby.
Almost THE Author
Caitlin Lipscomb, PT, DPT Physical Therapist
Caitlin has been practicing every bit a physical therapist for five years and her entire career has been spent in pediatrics. Her areas of expertise include the treatment of torticollis in infants, motor training in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and the facilitation of gross motor development through play.
Source: https://www.ktltherapy.com/blog/preventing-plagiocephaly-aka-flat-head-syndrome-in-your-infant
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