14 week LO has a flathead on one side

[nutnut33]

Hi
I have a 14 week old little boy who has developed a flat head on one side. This has only been apparent the past 4 weeks..... HV said to try and put him to sleep on the other side etc, but this is easier said then done. Have looked up this condition on the internet and some babies have to end up wearing helmets. Am now worried (will be taking him docs asap) just wondered if any other Mums have had this problem with their little one and did it rectify itself. I know of babies having ´cone head´s after having suction through the birth canal and know that babies heads go back to normal under those circumstances. Would be grateful for any help.

Many thanks

 

[Tinylo]

Hiya, my LO has this too.

It doesn't matter if I lay him on the other side and prop him up with a blanket to stop him rolling back, he wiggles until he can lay on the side he's most comfy.

When they start to crawl and spend less time on their backs it will start to correct itself, usually by the time they are 12 months old it's hardly noticeable so try not to worry too much.

 

[missjess]

Hi hun,

Josh had a pretty bad flat head on one side too when he was around 3 month. He his head is getting rounder because he's always sitting on his on and he never lies on his back apart from at night.

Your baby boy's head will most likely get rounder on it's own as he gets older. You can also help it giving him as much tummy time as possible (Josh use to hate tummy time, but you can get some special tummy mats which makes tummy time fun) Also, a bumbo really helps!

You can talk to your baby's doctor if you're too worried.

Here's a before after picture of Josh. It's not really good but you can tell a difference.
https://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v368/4/46/630246145/n630246145_1468047_7880.jpg
https://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v368/4/46/630246145/n630246145_1468048_8522.jpg

Hope this helped you. xxx

 

[nightkd]

It's called plagiocephaly and my brother had it. Had to wear a helmet too, but wasn't at all bothered by it. His head got pretty bad by the time the helmet was ordered and arrived, so it's still a funny shape (he's 3 now and was a bit older than your LO by the time he had the helmet) but it sounds like you've noticed it earlier and sometimes it sorts itself out.

You can buy wedges to place under the corner of the cot mattress which causes the baby to roll more onto the side that isn't going flat.

People should really be warned by this, because it's so easy to prevent, but you can end up paying LOADS for the helmet, which has to be worn almost all of the time and for a while...

xxx

Edit: Just had a quick browse and found this website; https://shop.babyworld.co.uk/DisplaySection.aspx?secid=263 dunno if any of the things on there are suitable or NEEDED in your situation, but thought it might be helpful to see what was available...

 

[Kracker]

My lo has this aswell, it never occured to me that it might cause a problem, am worried now.

 

[sophie]

Hiya, my little girl had this, i noticed when she was about 10 weeks or so, shes 9 months now and has rectified itself the hv told me that once shes moving about an not just lyin there all day it should be ok.
I did worry constantly about it but i was always told not easier said hey!

 

[Donna79x]

my little one as this too but i feel confident that it will get better as she gets stronger x

 

[nutnut33]

Thnks to all you ladies it seems the general opinion is that it corrects itself, I was more worried because when I googled it yesterday it was made to sound on the sites found quite worrying.... MissJess thanks for the pictures that has put my mind to rest alot!!! Apparently boys are 3 times more likely to have it as well as those who were breech, so 2 out of 2 for me..... Nightkd thanks for the link will have a browse. Although his head is not that bad at present I dont think to warrant a helmet x

 

[nightkd]

Nah, they only say to get the helmet if it does get really bad and doesn't sort itself out. Best to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse try to prevent it. Helmets are EXTORTIONATE (have to be properly fitted and I think made in the USA? - If you're in the UK..) and my bro was just unlucky to end up having to have one..

 

[Jo]

Ahhh don't google hun you'll have nightmares forever!!
Jack had it this and it was pretty obvious, what i did was lay him at the "wrong" end of his cot so that he turned on the non flat side towrds the light

If you look at babies when they are sleeping most of them face some kind of light source, if you can flip the sleeping position around it will help loads

Jack's head is normal now well except it is big and he needs hats for older children

 

[poppy]

I am worried this might happen to Tristan as well. He seems to prefer leaning to one side (although this has got a bit better in the last week and a half). I am worried that he might have torticullos which is a tightening in one side of the neck muscles (sometimes caused because the baby's head is in one position in the womb due to lack of space - big baby, small mum etc) and this leads to a preference to angle the head to one side. Torticullos can lead to flat head syndrome.

I have brought this up with the doctor and health visitor who don't seem to think it is a problem, but the health visitor has given Tristan a referral to the physio just to check him over just to make sure.

If you are worried, definately raise it with your health visitor who could maybe give you some exercises to do with your little one to encourage him to look over to the other side more often.

xxx

 

[nutnut33]

I have tried putting him the other end of the cot, but the little monkey is still sleeping on that side, am sure it is getting worse, or perhaps I am convincing myself its getting worse!!!! Also we have wooden floors with a thin mat which his playmat is on and I feel reluctant now to put him on it, but then again I dont want him getting bored... Catch 22 situation really.......

 

[tinytoes]

my LO has this too and I was sent to see an osteopath. Teddy had a tendancy to turn his head to the left often than right (when sleeping but also when held upright) and hence developed a flat head during his sleep. The doc gave me various excercises to do, to develop his neck msucles:

laying baby on back and me getting eye contact with him and me moving so getting him to turn as far to the right as he could. Also, doing tummy time and getting him to hold his head up and for him to turn to the right.

Now he's spending less time on his back adn is sitting up more I am less worried and I think it looks less flat. He turns his head both ways too.

When he sleeps the doc asked me to turn his head to the left. I found this wasnt going to work as it woke LO up and I didnt like that!! SO instead I lay him on his right side and prop him up with a rolled up towel. It has worked for us as he has got used to facing right, even if he rolls to his back later in the night.


I asked if the flat head was a medical or an aesthetic problem, and the doc said in extreme cases it can cause uneven muscle development, but mostly its just a look thing. Once baby has a head of hair it'll all look OK I figured. I dont want him to wear a head brace so I'll avoid that at all costs! No thank you.
good luck!

 

[nutnut33]

I think it might be connected to his neck muscles too as he doesnt seem to be very good at facing the other way too and his head is still a bit wobbly, or maybe I am just looking for something that is not there and being paranoid!!! Been so long since I had his eldest brother I have forgotten it all!!! Maybe I have got baby brain but what do you do when you put the rolled up pillow in his cot, where do you place it underneath his head???

 

[tinytoes]

sorry for the slow reply!! i basically roll a towel and have baby on his side a bit and put the towel parralel to him, under one side to keep him on his side.

have i just made that sound really complicated?

basicallly its under his side to wedge him onto his side so his hed rolls to the other side. i put it from about him chest down - not high up by his face so there's no chance of suffocation if he does turn the wrong way.

make sense?
think i have baby brain too!!