Flat Head

pb&jojo · October 2013

My daughter spends a lot of time on her back. She loves her playmats, and sleeps long hours overnight on her back. She favors her right side, so her head is tilted that way a lot. I noticed her head getting a little flat, so I brought it up with my pedi. He said it was a little flat, but nothing he would worry about at this point. So I took his advice...I didn't worry.

Then my mom came to visit this weekend and brought up her head, and now she is sending me continuous emails with links to research on flat heads and how to correct, etc. I wrote her back telling her I appreciate her concern, but in the future, if me and my pedi are not concerned then she needs to let it go because now I am worried. I didn't sleep last night thinking about how I can correct it, when in reality, it probably isn't a big deal. Anyone else with lo's developing a flat spot and if so, how are you handling it?

BlondieBia21 · October 2013

I've noticed lo usually sleeps with her head to the side, so I'm worried about her developing something. I usually wait until she's in deep sleep, and then I turn her head straight or to the other side. Also spend a lot of time in tummy time.

APK141 · October 2013

We have been doing more tummy time. Once they can completely hold up and control their heads, it becomes less of an issue. But, like PP, I wait until he's sleeping to correct it at night.
Also, he loves his playmat. I've started putting the toys to the side he doesn't favor, that seems to force him to look the other way.

magdalina.h · October 2013

She doesn't have a flat spot, but starting to get a bald spot. I have her do a lot of tummy time either on the floor or on me.

youtubebeauties · October 2013

This. Hannah has a bald spot as well on the back of her head. She is wanting to 'sit' up more now , which is helping. I'm a little concerned too.

Moosesoar · October 2013

We use this Boppy Head Rest in his swing and bouncer and it has helped a ton. Well worth the $15 and a lot cheaper than possibly putting them in a helmet.

catskitch · October 2013

LO has a little flat spot in his right side. The Pediatrician recommended holding toys and doing activities on his left side so he'll turn that way. I turn his head to the other side when he sleeps as well.

carrotcake06 · October 2013

Yes, one of my boys has a pretty noticeable flat spot. He favors his right side and has since birth - it's apparently more common in multiples since they are so smushed together in the womb.

I've brought it up at his 2mo and 4mo appt. The pedi isn't overly concerned, but I am. I'm in the process of getting an appt for an eval w a specialist. I'd much rather have him in a helmet for a few months than leave him with crooked ears and a flat head for the rest of his life.

That being said, we've done all that we can at home and it prob will get better as he sits up and holds his head up more. But I'd rather see what a specialist has to say, you know?

Erinruns262 · October 2013

I posted this on another board, but thought I would share My 7 week old was diagnosed with moderate torticollis this week. It was at my insistence that something was wrong that our pedi then sent us to a physical therapist who made the diagnosis. She will be seen 2x per week and they gave us a bunch of stretches to do at home. They said she will most likely need therapy until she is crawling, but we should be able to correct it esp since we caught it so early. I just wanted to share our story because our pedi wasn't overly concerned because she can look in both directions and had no problems doing so when he evaluated her. She can already roll tummy to back, so she does have mobility. I just noticed that she ALWAYS has her head in the same position when sleeping, sitting in her bouncy seat, swing, etc. As a STM, my son developed a slight flat spot at 4 months, so I wanted to be proactive with her. I'm very glad I spoke up!

brown214 · October 2013

This thread got me worried so I switched his toys around on his play mat hoping he will follow his favorite one! LO always has his head turned to his left or straight up

thoughtfulmommy · October 2013

Erinruns262 said:
I posted this on another board, but thought I would share

My 7 week old was diagnosed with moderate torticollis this week. It was at my insistence that something was wrong that our pedi then sent us to a physical therapist who made the diagnosis. She will be seen 2x per week and they gave us a bunch of stretches to do at home. They said she will most likely need therapy until she is crawling, but we should be able to correct it esp since we caught it so early. I just wanted to share our story because our pedi wasn't overly concerned because she can look in both directions and had no problems doing so when he evaluated her. She can already roll tummy to back, so she does have mobility. I just noticed that she ALWAYS has her head in the same position when sleeping, sitting in her bouncy seat, swing, etc. As a STM, my son developed a slight flat spot at 4 months, so I wanted to be proactive with her. I'm very glad I spoke up!

This. My family doctor wasn't worried but our pedi referred us to a physio. We also have excersizes for home. We make sure to engage him and put his toys on the side he doesn't favour, do yummy time and the exercises a few times a day each day.

sfeebs13 · October 2013

I think I can feel a flat spot, but its almost kind of hard to tell. LO sleeps on her tummy, so I try to make sure she has a good balance of tummy sleep and back sleep. She has a little bald spot on the back of her head. I asked the pedi if her head was flat at our 2month appt and he said no way. So we will see what he says at our 4month.

Her head is constantly moving. Even in her sleep, so I have no idea.

When is the flat spot no longer an issue? Is it 6months?

BelhurstBride · October 2013

I don't know, man. We have two friends whose pedis were lax with a possible flat spot for way too long. Both LOs ended up in helmets and had X-rays to make sure it hadn't effected their brain development. One still looks a little... off.

I'd make sure the side preference isn't torticollis. Then I'd read some of the links from your mom, looking for ways to encourage LO to get off of the flat side.

pb&jojo · October 2013

Thanks all. I am going to bring it up again at her 4 month appt, but keep an eye on it and try to do some exercises to correct. My pedi seems pretty lax to me, which I think it good because I am an anxious person, but I'm not going to just let this go...

Along with other small changes, I am going to try ot use the carriers more to have her out of the carseat when we are shopping, etc since she is in her carseat a lot (we live in the middle of nowhere..takes 40 minutes just to get anywhere!).

pb&jojo · October 2013

She only sleeps on her back...even for naps. I tried to get her to sleep on my chest on her stomach many a times to no success She won't sleep on my shoulder either. Only sleeps in my arms, crib, or rock n play. She sleeps straight through 12 hours on her back everynight. Literature says babies who sleep well have flatter heads. lol. I am glad she is a good sleeper, but come on!!

Erinruns262 · October 2013

Not to scare you, but your daughter's head is tilted in your siggy picture just like mine (who is diagnosed with torticollis). If it is often tilted like that and not just that picture, I'd get her checked by a physical therapist ASAP because it is so much easier to treat when they are young. It's really just some simple stretches!

boydlinds · October 2013

I noticed my daughter was developing a flat spot at 2 months and spoke to my doc about it. He was not concerned. He also said that there isn't much evidence that the helmets even do much.

I started consciously thinking about how I put her down whether its in her crib, in her swing or bouncy seat, on her play mat or on change table. I switch up the ends of the bassinet I put her down in but generally I need to guide her head to non flat side. I can move her head in her sleep if she is on the flat side.

One thing that works for me (even though it may be a no-no to let my baby watch TV) but she really likes TV so when I put her down on her play mat, I position her so she has to turn her head to the non flat spot to look towards the television.

Now at 3 months I notice an improvement on the flat side and so do my family members. I also believe that no ones head is perfectly shaped so maybe its not a big deal.

rooftop · October 2013

My LO doesn't have a flat spot but she favored one side until we took her to a chiropractor and corrected a subluxation in her neck.

PTmama199 · October 2013

Here is my 2 cents about plagiocephally (flatness on the side) and torticollis. I was a developmental PT for almost 6 years. Some/Most peds/pcps will wait till it's too late to do something about both plagio and tort. We had to do a lot of doctor edu on both diagnoses. If people can notice the flatness push for a rx for PT. When babies become mobile it becomes very hard to do the stretches and manipulate there environment to counteract the flatness. If there is a congenital muscular torticollis the flatness will get worse without stretches. After 12 months the skull has already hardened to the point that the flatness will no longer change with conservative interventions. I'm going to try to attach the most recent research that I know of for prognosis and diagnosis of plagio and tort.

https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=87968

Not sure if it will be clicky since I am mobile.

Stepping off my soap box sorry for the rant

HTH

RK125 · October 2013

Lo goes for her 2 month on Friday and I'm having her check for it. She definitely favors her right side. We do a lot of tummy time. She sleeps in her swing (we're transitioning her into her crib) and she always turns her head to the right. I try to turn her in her sleep and she grunts until she can turn it back to the right.

LilyGirl4 · October 2013

Pp- This is my lo too but to the left!

wifeyvana · October 2013

pb&jojo said:
Thanks all. I am going to bring it up again at her 4 month appt, but keep an eye on it and try to do some exercises to correct. My pedi seems pretty lax to me, which I think it good because I am an anxious person, but I'm not going to just let this go...

Along with other small changes, I am going to try ot use the carriers more to have her out of the carseat when we are shopping, etc since she is in her carseat a lot (we live in the middle of nowhere..takes 40 minutes just to get anywhere!).

I was just going to suggest baby wearing. We also live 30-40 minutes away from things and that's a lot of time in the car seat.

PrimRoseMama · October 2013

Alex prefers a side so I just switch him different ways to sleep at night. Lots of tummy time. DD did the same and if you do enough tummy time then it should be fine. Don't stress. Rig your email to sort the emails from your mom into one folder so you don't have to wade through them.

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