Re: osteopathic medicine for flat spot

• jenn43 member

  September 2014

  
  

  ama7165 said:

  My LO (5 1/2 months) has a moderate flat spot and during a follow up a helmet was brought up, but I have seen very little research proving it effective. I have been searching alternative options and osteopathic medicine has come up. Has anyone had experience with them in helping with plagiocephaly/flat spot?

  
  

  Where did you look?  I did a quick PubMed search and found a bunch of articles that demonstrate the effectiveness of helmets for positional plagiocephaly.  Three of them are cited below.

  
  

  
  

  J Craniofac Surg. 2009 Mar;20(2):362-5. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e3181992382.

  Outcome analysis of helmet therapy for positional plagiocephaly using a three-dimensional surface scanning laser.Thompson JT¹, David LR, Wood B, Argenta A, Simpson J, Argenta LC.

  
  

  
  

  Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Aug;162(8):719-27. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.162.8.719.

  Nonsurgical treatment of deformational plagiocephaly: a systematic review.Xia JJ¹, Kennedy KA, Teichgraeber JF, Wu KQ, Baumgartner JB, Gateno J.

  
  

  Neurosurg Focus. 2013 Oct;35(4):E4. doi: 10.3171/2013.8.FOCUS13258.

  Efficacy of passive helmet therapy for deformational plagiocephaly: report of 1050 cases.

  Couture DE¹, Crantford JC, Somasundaram A, Sanger C, Argenta AE, David LR.

  
  

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• SandFHasse member

  September 2014

  My son just had a helmet for 10 weeks because he had a moderate/severe flat spot and a few other problems. He no longer has the flat spot and all the other issues were corrected as well.

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• legaleagles member

  September 2014

  One of my twins has moderate plagiocephaly. We just saw the pediatrician and he said that the research is now showing that the helmets aren't that effected and while it may take longer the flat spots should fill out on their own. He said had it been my daughter 3 years ago they would have done a helmet, but a lot has changed in the last couple of years. I honestly feel a bit torn and worry that maybe it won't round out, but for now am putting trust in my son's doctor. 

  
  

  
  

  

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• ama7165 member

  September 2014

  Thank you for your responses. My pediatrician does not recommend then and feels the same as @legaleagles .a different doctor suggested it. I wasn't sure if anyone had any experience with alternative treatments.

  

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• heatherbond06 member

  September 2014

  I am actually looking into the same thing. I do not want my son in a Helmet just for the simply fact he has been and is going to go through so much in the next month. So we are looking into the therapy thing and will ask the specialist at the children's hospital their take on it.

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• brooksfam4 member

  October 2014

  My son's head as noticeably flatter on the right side. My ped said it would correct itself if we really worked him (positioning, tummy time, etc). I definitely thought we were going to need a helmet, but it really did correct itself. He is now 5 months and sleeps on his tummy since he can roll over now. Getting the weight off the head helped so much. No real advice here, but just know you're not alone! GL!

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• Scrambles1 member

  October 2014

  We just went to PT to start working on correcting my DD's flat spot earlier if we can. They said if we position her head on the opposite side of the flat spot it will correct itself. So....we're hoping that's true.

  They also recommended to hold things like a mirror up to her side to make her look at it and position her head to stretch out her neck muscles. They recommend we do that with the hope that it makes her more comfortable to lay her head down the opposite way.

   

     

   

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• MommyAtty member

  October 2014

  My DD had a terrible, terrible flat spot, and it was not on the very back of her head but more at an angle because she slept with her head always turned the same way. Nothing worked to get her to turn it the other way. Our pediatrician said the helmets are really only minimally effective. We didn't do one, and at age 2 her head is perfectly round. I was scared to death her head would always be wonky, but it wasn't. It really is scary until it evens itself out, but it really does with time!

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• kangtini member

  October 2014

  We did a helmet for my first son and I thought it was totally worth it and something I would do again in a heartbeat.  He wore it for 12 weeks and it made a dramatic difference.  He didn't notice it after the first day or so and other than the inconvenience of going to get it adjusted, it wasn't a big deal.  it was covered by our insurance so we didn't pay anything.  I think parents are more caught up in the look of it and what other people will think.  I didn't want to take the chance and regret NOT doing it.  The longer you wait the longer then have to wear it and the less benefit there is.  If you are interested message me and I can show you the results in pictures.    

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