Find out more about how craniosynostosis is treated. There are specially designed helmets and headbands that some people claim can help improve the shape of a baby's skull as they grow. These devices apply pressure to "bulging" parts of the skull and relieve pressure from other parts, potentially allowing growth in the flatter areas. Treatment is started when the child's skull is still soft, usually at around 5 or 6 months old, and the device is worn almost continuously up to 23 hours a day for several months.
Some people try special curved mattresses that are designed to distribute the weight of a baby's head over a larger area so less pressure is placed on a particular point of their skull. These are cheaper than helmets and headbands, but there's currently only limited evidence to suggest they may help.
Mild flattening of the head will usually improve if you use the simple measures described on this page, although it may be a couple of months before you start to notice an improvement. Your baby's head may not return to a completely perfect shape, but by the time they're 1 or 2 years old any flattening will be barely noticeable. The appearance of your child's head should improve as they become more mobile and their hair grows.
You may consider using a helmet or headband if you're worried about your child, but it's not clear whether these always work. You should also bear in mind the inconvenience, expense and possible discomfort for you and your child. Page last reviewed: 03 December Next review due: 03 December If your baby has a flat spot, your doctor will refer you to a physiotherapist, or you can schedule an assessment with a physio yourself.
Your doctor may also refer you to a neurosurgery clinic or craniofacial centre. It typically takes about two to four months to get a rounded, more symmetrical head shape through physiotherapy. Your physiotherapist will not only give you some activities to do with your baby, but also suggest some simple lifestyle changes to treat the flat spot. Then use an app to make a little photo collage so you can notice changes from one week to the next, because it can be tough to see a difference when you see your baby all the time.
Yes, babies often have a white-hot hate for tummy time, but it really is crucial! She may work with parents and babies to achieve motor-skill milestones—like rolling over—a tiny bit earlier, again to encourage movement and muscle development. While these low-intervention approaches are usually enough to correct a mild flat spot, sometimes a doctor or physio will recommend an appointment with an orthotist to see if a custom-made cranial moulding helmet is required to help shape the skull.
Hall says the best time to begin helmet treatment is when your baby has good head and neck control, which is usually around the four-month mark. An orthotist uses a handheld scanner to take digital measurements and create a 3-D model of the head, or sometimes creates a plaster or foam model of the head, from which a foam liner and a laminated or plastic shell is fabricated which can feature cool patterns or colours.
There are also companies that use a 3-D printer and more of a rigid headband style than a full helmet. Putting my baby in a helmet was the toughest decision of my life. Your baby will have to wear the helmet for 23 hours a day, for usually six months or more. Your private insurance company may pick up part or all of the cost though.
Like many kid conditions, awareness is key. So those with severe flattening on one side tend to stay on that side, and their necks become stiff from lack of use. In severe cases, the forehead might bulge on the side opposite from the flattening, and may look uneven. If torticollis is the cause, the neck, jaw, and face also might be uneven. Doctors often can diagnose flat head syndrome by looking at the baby's head.
To check for torticollis, the doctor may watch how a baby moves the head and neck. Medical tests usually are not needed. Caregivers should always place babies on their back to sleep to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome SIDS , even with possibility of flat head syndrome. Avoiding swings, car seats, bouncy chairs, and other devices is safest for sleep and also helps to make sure that babies can move their head freely.
So what can parents do when flat head syndrome is due to a sleeping or lying position? Simple practices like changing a baby's sleep position, holding your baby, and providing lots of "tummy time" can help it go away. Try these tips:. Most babies with flat head syndrome also have some degree of torticollis. So physical therapy and a home exercise program usually are part of treatment. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to do with your baby involving stretching.
Most moves involve stretching the neck to the side opposite the tilt. In time, the neck muscles will get longer and the neck will straighten itself out. The exercises are simple, but must be done correctly.
A doctor can prescribe a helmet for flat head syndrome. The helmet is designed to fit a baby loosely where the head is flat and tightly where it is round. In the helmet, the head can't grow where it is already round.
So it grows where it's flatter. Helmets make the head rounder quicker than time and normal growth. On average, though, babies who get helmets and those who don't have the same results after a couple years. Talk to your doctor about whether a helmet could help your baby. Flat head syndrome improves with time and natural growth.
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