To lower the amount of time your baby is lying on their back, increase how often you hold them. Tummy time not only helps with development and muscle strengthening, but it also helps prevent the head from becoming misshapen. Place your baby on their tummy while they are awake and only with supervision. Tummy timeīabies should always be placed on their backs to sleep. This forces the baby to move their neck and head to the opposite side. By doing this, they can still look out at their view, but their head and neck will change position.Įncourage your baby to change which way they look by placing toys or pictures to the left of them for a certain time and then moving the items to the right of them. One day, place your baby with their head facing the top of the crib, and the next day, place your baby with its feet towards the top of the bed. One method of changing your baby’s position without changing their view is by alternating the position you lay them in their crib. If you notice your baby’s head is turned towards the right more often than the left, gently turn the head in the opposite direction to relieve the pressure of being repeatedly placed in the same spot.īabies usually enjoy looking out of their cribs to view their room versus staring at the wall. Parents can follow these recommendations to help prevent flat head syndrome: PositioningĬhange the position your baby sleeps as often as possible. It is best to try to prevent the condition early on before it becomes apparent that the head is misshapen. However, if it is severe enough, treatment options are available. The flat head syndrome can improve over time as a baby becomes stronger and starts to roll over and sit up. If flat head syndrome or torticollis is suspected, parents can discuss their concerns with a pediatrician, who will perform a further assessment to determine if there is a problem. Parents should monitor the appearance of their baby’s head, face, and neck positioning. The forehead or cheek may appear to bulge outward. Some of the signs of flat head syndrome may include:Ī bald spot on one particular area of the head. Signs of the flat head syndromeĪ misshapen head is not always obvious at first and can take several months to become apparent. Dolichocephalyīoth sides of the head are flattened, causing the appearance of an elongated head. The entire back of the head is flattened, making the head appear wider than normal. One side of the back of the head is flattened, causing the appearance of slanting. The three different types of shapes that occur with the flat head syndrome include the following: Plagiocephaly The shape of the skull can vary depending on which area of the head is affected. Not all babies with flat head syndrome appear the same. Prematurityīabies born prematurely have soft skulls and are exposed to being positioned on their backs far sooner than babies that are born full-term. The muscles in the neck contract, causing the head to naturally rotate to one side. When a baby lays in the same position with the head turned to one side, the repeated pressure on the skull causes it to flatten. Causes of flat head syndrome include the following: Positioning The skull of a baby is naturally soft at first and begins to firm over time, so it can change shape with consistent pressure being placed in one area. Babies spend a significant amount of time sleeping and also must be positioned on their backs while in a car seat. It can be challenging for parents to prevent this flattening because babies must be placed on their backs to sleep. When a baby’s head remains in the same position repeatedly for long periods, the skull will become flattened. The campaign recommends that babies be placed on their backs to sleep until they are one year old to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The occurrences of flat head syndrome have increased since 1994 when the Safe Sleep campaign, also known as the Back to Sleep campaign, was initiated. It is a common, treatable, and usually preventable condition. Treatment options for flat head syndrome include positioning, corrective helmet therapy, and physical therapy.įlat head syndrome occurs when a baby spends too much time lying in the same position, with their head turned to one side.
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