South Florida Babies

Flat heads?!?

Hi girls, I just noticed yesterday that on the back of Julian's head it seems to be a little flat. I mean his head is not completely round...when the back fontanel is has flattened out a little. The funny thing is that I hardly ever have him on his back. He sleeps on his side and during the day I and usually carrying him or he is in the swing or bouncer, but for short periods of time. The only time he is really on his back is on the changing table...and I dont even think thats hard enough to make it flat. Is this normal? Do most babies have a little flatness? I'm starting to get a bit nervous, I dont want a helmet, lol

-j

Re: Flat heads?!?

  • they can get a flat head from the carseat, bouncer, swing, etc. anything where the head is resting against something. i remember worrying about it also, but the pedi checks at every visit and if there is a problem, they will tell you!
  • I noticed a flat spot on Mikey's head when he was about a month old, this was the same time I also noticed his tilt. Brought it up to the doc and she told me to position him differently everytime he sleeps. For example, he normally sleeps with his head towards the window with feet closest to the door. I'd put him down like that one day but the next time I put him down I'd put his head down towards the door with his feet towards the window. His spot got pretty bad so I ended up getting a sleep positioner and having him side sleep, but I'd alternate which side he slept on. That helped tremendously. Around 6 months he started belly sleeping and that is what really helped in the end because he wasn't smooshing his head on his mattress all night long. 

    But like Melanie said carseat, strollers, bouncers, and swings can all be bad. Try to do as much tummy time as you can and limit how much time the baby is sitting in one of those contraptions.

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  • Oh and I forgot to mention. YOU spend the most time with your child. I would NOT trust any doctor that sees your child for only 5 minutes to be able to pick up anything in such a quick visit. If something bothers you BRING IT UP! I was the one that brought up Mikey's tilt at his 2 month appointment, at the time the doc didn't even really notice it and said its super mild. Well his mild tilt wasn't so mild because we've been in PT for over a year now! Trust your mommy instincts!
  • I think this is a really common problem that I'm sure didn't happen back when we were babies and were put on our bellies to sleep. ;-)

    I noticed that Nadia was developing a flat spot on her head about a month or so ago. The pedi agreed and told me to keep her off of it.

    From that point on- no more swing and no more bouncy seat for Nadia. She naps on her tummy, or side. Plays on her tummy and sits in the bumbo or jumperoo. I only put her on her back for changing (no choice) and for night-time sleeping (helps me relax).

    The tough part is the stroller and carseat. Unfortunately- when she's sitting in there, there's not much I can do about her head.

    She always looks a bit to the left no matter which direction I face her in her crib...

    Good luck! Luckily their heads mold quickly. After a about a week of being careful with her head, it already looked a lot better. I am so lookiing forward to when she can sit up unassisted. I think that will make a big difference.

  • we have to take abby to a specialist tomorrow to get measurements to make sure the flat part isn't a problem.  My sister said, though, that when we kids, the "trendy" thing was to give kids leg braces and special shoes to prevent bow leggedness.  The new "trend" is the whole helmet thing for babies.  *shrug* we'll see how it goes tomorrow.  I freak out over her little flat spot all the time.
  • It's normal.  There's no concern unless it doesn't start to round out by 6 months.
  • Zachary has a pretty big flat spot on his head and even though the pedi said we could really wait another month or so, I am going to make an appointment with a specialist soon. I am starting to get pretty worried about it!!! I hope he doesn't need a helmet.
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  • This worried me a lot too because Maia got a flat spot from being in her papasan (the vibraty chair thing). It was my fault for always sitting on one side of her when she was in it because then she always kept her head pointed toward me. I asked the doc about it and he felt her head but was not concerned.

    Helmets do seem to be a trend lately. From what I could find, kids really only need a helmet when their heads flatten due to the fontanels closing prematurely. That is a specific disease and most kids don't have it. Other types of flattening are purely cosmetic and shouldn't affect brain function, they round out eventually as the baby grows. Of course knowing that didn't keep me from worrying all together, but it did help.

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  • Yianni's pedi told us our mission over the next two months is to round out his head in the back and on the top, or he may have to have a helmet! 

    Someone recommended the Bobby Noggin Pillow from Pottery Barn. https://shopboppy.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5 I'm amazed at how quickly it's working.  Yianni loves to nap in the swing, and he's a GERD baby so I can't put him flat right after eating (when he wants to nap).  I wish I had this months ago.

    I also switched him to his convertible car seat, and this is helping. 

    He still has a little flat spot in the back, but so does DH.  I think it's genetic.  Our former GI said when he gets hair, it will not be noticeable. 

  • Well, unfortunately, Mikey did need to wear the helmet (and it wasn;t just for cosmetic reasons)..I noticed that his "cone head" never fully went away and at the 2 and 4 month pedi visits I did raise my concerns. I was told to change positions frequently, do lots of tummy time and continue to observe. However, he started developing flattening to the back portion of the left side of his head and I noticed that his ear seemed further "out that the other. His left-side of the forehead also seemed to be "shifting" frontward. I was sent to an evaluation where they do all sorts of measurements and pictures, and the DOC Band treatment was recommended for him for 2-2 1/2 months. I was told that because he was engaged in the same position in utero from early on and the fact that I had a complete placenta previa and my placenta was acting like a "pillow" for him and that he was born at 36 weeks could also have influenced his head shaping... He had the Band on for a total of 7 weeks and now is 95% corrected. Every child is different...Just go with your instincts and keep bringing it up with your pedi...you can go on this website if you have any other questions about plagiocephaly....

    https://www.cranialtech.com/

     

     

     

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