Plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome, is a condition characterized by an asymmetrical
distortion of the skull.
It is characterized by a flat spot on the back or one side of the head caused by remaining
in a supine position for too long.
Plagiocephaly is the word that is used to describe a diagonal asymmetry across the head
shape.
This word particularly describes a flattening which is to one side at the back of the head
and there is often some facial asymmetry.
Brachycephaly describes a very wide head shape with a flattening across the whole back of
the head.
Causes Slight Plagiocephaly is routinely diagnosed
at birth and may be the result of a restrictive intrauterine environment giving a "diamond"
shaped head when seen from above.
If there is premature union of skull bones, this is more properly called craniosynostosis.
The incidence of plagiocephaly has increased dramatically since the advent of anti-Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome recommendations for parents to keep their babies on their backs.
Treatments range from a simple repositioning of babies below the age of 5 months to more
involved treatment with a helmet for children under the age of 18 months.
Prognosis Preliminary research indicates that babies
with plagiocephaly comprise a high-risk group for developmental difficulties.
Prevention Following tools and therapy could serve as
an effective and safe treatment modality on managing this development disorder such as:
Tummy time.
Specialist baby mattress Specially Designed weight distribution baby
pillow.
Specially designed infant headwear with a support roll which ensures the head is positioned
correctly and can be adjusted every few hours.
This eliminates any potential flat spots and prevents them in the critical early growth
stages of the child's life.
Treatment The condition will sometimes improve as the
baby grows, but in many cases, treatment can significantly improve the shape of a baby’s
head.
Initially, treatment usually takes the form of reducing the pressure on the affected area
through repositioning of the baby onto his or her abdomen for extended periods of time
throughout the day.
Other treatments include repositioning the child's head throughout the day so that the
rounded side of the head is placed dependent against the mattress, repositioning cribs
and other areas that infants spend time in so that they will have to look in a different
direction to see their parents, or others in the room, repositioning mobiles and other
toys for similar reasons, and avoiding extended time sleeping in car-seats, bouncy seats,
or other supine seating which is thought to exacerbate the problem.
If the child appears to have discomfort or cries when they are repositioned, they may
have a problem with the neck.
If this is unsuccessful, treatment using a cranial remolding orthosis can help to correct
abnormal head shapes.
These helmets are used to treat deformational plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, scaphocephaly
and other head shape deformities in infants 3–18 months of age.
For years, infants have been successfully treated with cranial remolding orthoses.
Studies by scientists in the Netherlands have found there was no significant difference
over time between infants treated with helmets and infants left untreated.
All parents of infants treated with helmets confirmed negative side effects including
skin irritation and sweating.
This study focused only on patients with mild to moderate cases, the participation rate
was only 21%, and there was a 73% reporting of fitting issues, calling into question the
validity of the study.
Incorrectly fit devices cannot be expected to yield results.
Additionally, independent published research that examined the effectiveness of helmet
therapy conclude that as many as 95% of patients demonstrate an improvement in head shape symmetry
following helmet therapy, and the American Orthotics and Prosthetics Association has
serious concerns about the relevance and validity of this study.
References