When preparing to welcome a child into the world, there are thousands of factors for an expecting parent to think about and prepare for. One thing that many parents don’t think or know about is plagiocephaly, or flat head syndrome, but this is something the owners of https://lilcuddlers.com/ think about all the time. Learn more about what it is, whether it can lead to complications, and how you can work to prevent it below.
What causes plagiocephaly?
Plagiocephaly is a medical term to describe flat head syndrome, a condition in babies that causes their heads to have an asymmetrical shape. Babies’ skulls aren’t fully formed and hardened when they are born, which makes the birthing process a bit easier and allows the baby’s brain to continue growing.
Because babies have soft skulls for the first several months of life, their heads can change shape quickly. The most common reason a baby develops flat head syndrome is that they sleep in the same position most of the time, putting more pressure on one side of the head than the other.
Plagiocephaly that develops after a baby is born is called positional plagiocephaly. Some babies are born with irregularly shaped heads because the spaces between their skull bones close too early, and this is called congenital plagiocephaly.
Other common causes of the condition include being a multiple, undergoing forceps or vacuum delivery, or being born prematurely.
Is plagiocephaly dangerous?
In the vast majority of cases, plagiocephaly is not dangerous and is viewed as a cosmetic problem instead of a serious medical one. For the most part, brain growth and development are not impacted by flat head syndrome, and a child’s quality of life will remain unaffected too.
An infant’s skull will usually begin to even out on its own once the child spends less time laying down and more time sitting and standing. Even if a child’s skull doesn’t completely return to a normal shape, hair growth will conceal any lasting changes.
How can I prevent plagiocephaly in my baby?
A parent may not be able to prevent congenital plagiocephaly, but there are a few steps you can take to reduce the signs of positional plagiocephaly. Perhaps the most important step a parent can take to prevent flat head syndrome is changing the sleeping position you put your baby in regularly. For example, if your baby likes to sleep with their left cheek on the bed, place them on their right side regularly too.
It’s also important to give your baby some supervised tummy time each day. This helps your child develop strength in their head and neck to allow them to eventually support themselves. You can start off with a few minutes of tummy time each day, and work your way up to longer durations. Some babies are initially fussy about tummy time, but they will get more used to it the more time they are exposed to it.
Flat head syndrome may not be a serious medical condition, but it can still cause concern in parents who don’t know what to expect or how to handle it when it occurs. As always, speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your child’s development, and keep an eye out for head shape abnormalities.
I found this to be very interesting information. I was lucky that my children and grandchildren did not suffer from this condition, but I did know that it was important to change sleeping positions.
This was super informative to read. I did not know the medical name for this until I read your post. This is so important for new parents to know about.