Plagiocephaly, or flat head syndrome as it is commonly known, is when a baby’s head has a flat spot on its head.


The number of babies with flat head syndrome has soared in the past few years. This is because babies are put to sleep on their backs, which is the safest and only recommended sleeping position. Flat head syndrome is not dangerous and does not affect your baby's brain development. Most children grow out of it on their own by around six months, when they start to roll over and sitting up on their own.


There are three common types of flat head syndrome: Positional Plagiocephaly is the most common. It is a flat spot on the back or side of a baby's head. It is caused by pressure on the bones of the skull before or after birth. One ear may appear more forward than the other; one eye may appear smaller than the other, and one cheek may appear bigger than the other.


Brachycephaly is when there is a flat spot on the back of the baby’s head. The head may appear wider than usual, and the tips of the ears may stick out.


Positional Scaphocephaly is a flattening of both sides of the head. This is quite common in babies who are in the NICU and a lot of time lying on their side. It can also be caused by the early fusion of the plates of the skull.


One common treatment for flat head syndrome is giving your baby lots of tummy time. This relieves pressure off the skull and uses muscles to help develop the baby’s neck strength so they can turn their head on their own.


While anecdotal approaches are usually enough to correct a mild flat spot, sometimes a doctor will recommend an appointment with an Orthotist for Cranial Helmets For Infants New Jersey to see if a custom-made cranial helmet is required to help shape the skull. This generally happens around the four- to six-month mark if your baby’s plagiocephaly has gotten more severe, or if corrective progress isn’t happening as quickly as it should be. The helmet gently corrects the shape of the baby’s skull, giving space for the flat spot to grow properly as the brain grows.


There are also a few rare conditions that can cause an asymmetrical skull, such as scaphocephaly or craniosynostosis. This is where the skull’s bony plates start to harden and fuse together sooner than they should, so important to schedule a doctor’s appointment to assess the situation.


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