One side of baby's head bigger then the other

[skye93]

So, one side of my 9 week olds head is significantly bigger then the other.
At birth he had abnormally wide fontanelles but thats corrected itself now

He has a flat spot on the left (bigger side) but he can.turn his head, so most of the time when you turn it to the right he'll just turn back onto the flat side.

Does anyone else's baby have this? Should I be worrying?
Thanks in advance.

**picture doesn't show a real good view of both sides only somewhat.

 

[cococobain]

You should certainly discuss this at your baby's next doctor's appointment, it's still early enough to be corrected. The flat spot develops from sleeping on their backs all the time, my baby has one too. It's called plagiocephaly. It's nothing to freak out about, it doesn't affect them developmentally and if it's not too severe than you can correct it by taking a few measures yourself at home.

This is another reason why tummy time is so important (but that's easier said than done, my LO hates it!) there are also special nest pillows that alleviate the pressure off the skull and harnesses and such. When is your next doctor's appt?

 

[Daisy_Delayne]

Maybe he has torticollis (SP?) He might need some neck exercises to loosen his neck muscles so that he doesn't favor the one side. My daughter had it and the right side of her head was becoming very flat. I didn't do the exercises because she hated them so much, but I rolled a towel and put it under her left side to kind of force her to sleep on her right for a while (though it's not really the recommended method) and now it's much better. She doesn't favour her right side any more and her head is rounding out nicely.

 

[skye93]

You should certainly discuss this at your baby's next doctor's appointment, it's still early enough to be corrected. The flat spot develops from sleeping on their backs all the time, my baby has one too. It's called plagiocephaly. It's nothing to freak out about, it doesn't affect them developmentally and if it's not too severe than you can correct it by taking a few measures yourself at home.

This is another reason why tummy time is so important (but that's easier said than done, my LO hates it!) there are also special nest pillows that alleviate the pressure off the skull and harnesses and such. When is your next doctor's appt?

On my notes it's written "mild plagiocephaly" the doctor said I was doimg a good job correcting it. I don't have another appointment till his 4 month needles (unless his scans for his hips xome back bad)

 

[lch28]

My son has a flat spot also and only likes to sleep to the right. i recently ordered a baby moon pillow and his head is absolutely looking better!

 

[easyrhumba]

We started having a problem with a flat spot but began using a boppy noggin pillow and now that hes spending more time in the exersaucer and on tummy its almost completley gone now.

 

[skye93]

Going to sound like an idiot here but, what side is my sons flat spot? On the bigger or smaller side of his head :s

 

[lch28]

the smaller side. i strongly suggest a babymoon pillow or boppy noggin nest

 

[skye93]

But he sleeps on his bigger side? Now I'm confused.
We can't get those in Australia. Only a different brand ( which I'm going to try) very expensive though. $95 :s

 

[scoobydrlp]

It would make more sense for the "bigger" side of his face to be on the side with the flat spot. The pressure from him lying on that side is causing the flat spot which could be shifting his facial features forward on that side. My LO has the same problem...she has torticollis and turns to the left so her flat spot is on the left, and her forhead protrudes slightly on the left, left cheek looks longer, left eye looks slightly more open. Repositioning can make a huge difference, especially since your LO is still very young. Keep him off the flat spot the best you can. But definitely talk to your doctor about it.

 

[skye93]

It would make more sense for the "bigger" side of his face to be on the side with the flat spot. The pressure from him lying on that side is causing the flat spot which could be shifting his facial features forward on that side. My LO has the same problem...she has torticollis and turns to the left so her flat spot is on the left, and her forhead protrudes slightly on the left, left cheek looks longer, left eye looks slightly more open. Repositioning can make a huge difference, especially since your LO is still very young. Keep him off the flat spot the best you can. But definitely talk to your doctor about it.

Ah now I get it. Thank you Scoobydrlp. I'll just continue to move his head when he goes to sleep and try and find a pillow thingo until I see my doctor. His left eye is more open then his right. So keep himoff it completley? Only let him sleep on the right side?

Thank you for your help! I guess my lo is quite similar to yours, I have a better pic of what his face is doing.

 

[scoobydrlp]

Ah now I get it. Thank you Scoobydrlp. I'll just continue to move his head when he goes to sleep and try and find a pillow thingo until I see my doctor. His left eye is more open then his right. So keep himoff it completley? Only let him sleep on the right side?

Thank you for your help! I guess my lo is quite similar to yours, I have a better pic of what his face is doing.

Yes, keep him off the flat spot as much as possible. That's not to say that you should wake yourself up every hour at night to reposition him while he sleeps, but do the best you can when you are awake to have him on the right. I also bought a product that holds LOs head straight in her carseat so she can't look to the left, just keeps her looking forward. I think that has helped, along with the boppy noggin nest while she sleeps. Here's a link to the car seat thing.

https://www.diapers.com/p/summer-infant-cradler-ivory-21837?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=PJ-305&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&CAWELAID=1338715268&utm_content=pla&ca_sku=PJ-305&ca_gpa=pla&ca_kw={keyword}

It's easier to see the asymmetry in the picture you just posted. Can you tell whether his left ear is pushed forward more than his right? Sometimes you can see better if you look down at the top of his head from above. My LO has too much hair so it's impossible to see, but when I have her sitting in my lap if I stick a finger in each ear and look from above you can tell one is more forward than the other. We are going to get a cranial band to correct her head shape and we were told it will also correct the asymmetry and move the ear back to where it belongs. We are just waiting for approval (or more likely denial) from our insurance company. $3800, so hopefully some of it will be covered at least!

 

[petite ping]

My LO had this. It was due a torticolis. The chiropractor recommended that I roll up a muslin and place it under her neck when she sleeps so that she cannot turn her head so much (like pillow thingy) and it works. The LO is no longer a flat head.

 

[lch28]

sorry to cause confusion lol . wow 3800 dollars.. I have state medicaid so id be screwed if Jonathan ends up needing a cranial band. I doubt they'd cover that!

 

[gettinginfo]

Ah now I get it. Thank you Scoobydrlp. I'll just continue to move his head when he goes to sleep and try and find a pillow thingo until I see my doctor. His left eye is more open then his right. So keep himoff it completley? Only let him sleep on the right side?

Thank you for your help! I guess my lo is quite similar to yours, I have a better pic of what his face is doing.

Yes, keep him off the flat spot as much as possible. That's not to say that you should wake yourself up every hour at night to reposition him while he sleeps, but do the best you can when you are awake to have him on the right. I also bought a product that holds LOs head straight in her carseat so she can't look to the left, just keeps her looking forward. I think that has helped, along with the boppy noggin nest while she sleeps. Here's a link to the car seat thing.

https://www.diapers.com/p/summer-infant-cradler-ivory-21837?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=PJ-305&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&CAWELAID=1338715268&utm_content=pla&ca_sku=PJ-305&ca_gpa=pla&ca_kw={keyword}

It's easier to see the asymmetry in the picture you just posted. Can you tell whether his left ear is pushed forward more than his right? Sometimes you can see better if you look down at the top of his head from above. My LO has too much hair so it's impossible to see, but when I have her sitting in my lap if I stick a finger in each ear and look from above you can tell one is more forward than the other. We are going to get a cranial band to correct her head shape and we were told it will also correct the asymmetry and move the ear back to where it belongs. We are just waiting for approval (or more likely denial) from our insurance company. $3800, so hopefully some of it will be covered at least!

Hi,

My daughter has the same problem. She has a flat spot on the left and our pediatrician referred us to a craniofacial doc to get assessed for the helmet. I feel so bad about it. I am trying to reposition her but it is not going so great. I try to put a rolled up towel behind her left shoulder but she still finds way to get her head looking left. My husband will sneak in and turn her head to the right when she is fast asleep but eventually it goes back to the left. We are doing a ton of tummy time but she will NOT sleep on her tummy. It is very stressful to me. I think about it all the time and I hope she won't hate me for putting her in the helmet! I wish she would roll over soon so maybe that will help but anyway just wanted to wish you luck with the band. Let me know how it goes!

 

[scoobydrlp]

Hi,

My daughter has the same problem. She has a flat spot on the left and our pediatrician referred us to a craniofacial doc to get assessed for the helmet. I feel so bad about it. I am trying to reposition her but it is not going so great. I try to put a rolled up towel behind her left shoulder but she still finds way to get her head looking left. My husband will sneak in and turn her head to the right when she is fast asleep but eventually it goes back to the left. We are doing a ton of tummy time but she will NOT sleep on her tummy. It is very stressful to me. I think about it all the time and I hope she won't hate me for putting her in the helmet! I wish she would roll over soon so maybe that will help but anyway just wanted to wish you luck with the band. Let me know how it goes!

I understand exactly how you feel. I was pretty much obsessed with turning her head off the flat spot for the first month after realizing how bad it was. It is so stressful! Have you been to your assessment yet to see if you need a helmet? I was heartbroken when I first found out she might need one, but now I've come to terms with the idea and feel fine with the decision. Don't worry, if your LO does end up needing one she won't hate you for it!! I've read a ton about them and all the parents say that for the first day or two the babies are bothered by them but after that they don't even realize they're there. Lots of people say that they actually get upset when the parents take them off of them for an hour each day to clean them. We are going tomorrow for our scan to have our band made, and next thursday she will be wearing it. Honestly I'm kind of excited. We were told that it will correct her facial asymmetry along with her head shape, and she should only have to wear it for 7-9 weeks (the time span is longer the older they are when starting). It will be well worth it in the end. Good luck to you!

 

[smurff]

Oh my god, my dd is nearly 11 months old and has a flat spot on her right, it was quite bad so we went physio and we was told she had tonticollis, she constently slept on her right, we brought a baby pillow which I cant remember the name of now but it has gotten a lot better, I noticed when she was about 6 months that her right ear is far more forward than her left and I mentioned this to hv and she said all babies are different and nothing is really symmetrical at that age so we didn't worry about it, about 2 months ago I thought that the right hand side of her face seem slightly forward than the left, my husband couldn't see what I ment so I just thought it was me imagining it. We had hv yesterday and I again mentioned her ears and the fact I thought her face was more forward on the right, she took one look and didn't say anything, she was just sure it was ok. I cant believe I have finally got an answer about her ears and the right hand side of her face after seeing doctors and nurses and hv for months. Im seriously pissed now cause this could have been sorted months ago and now it maybe to late to correct it.

 

[scoobydrlp]

Oh my god, my dd is nearly 11 months old and has a flat spot on her right, it was quite bad so we went physio and we was told she had tonticollis, she constently slept on her right, we brought a baby pillow which I cant remember the name of now but it has gotten a lot better, I noticed when she was about 6 months that her right ear is far more forward than her left and I mentioned this to hv and she said all babies are different and nothing is really symmetrical at that age so we didn't worry about it, about 2 months ago I thought that the right hand side of her face seem slightly forward than the left, my husband couldn't see what I ment so I just thought it was me imagining it. We had hv yesterday and I again mentioned her ears and the fact I thought her face was more forward on the right, she took one look and didn't say anything, she was just sure it was ok. I cant believe I have finally got an answer about her ears and the right hand side of her face after seeing doctors and nurses and hv for months. Im seriously pissed now cause this could have been sorted months ago and now it maybe to late to correct it.

How upsetting that you noticed it and even mentioned it and they ignored it. I will say that it seems that outside the US it seems that cranial band treatment is much less common, so maybe they really don't believe it's an issue that needs medical attention. But in my opinion, if there's a way to correct the issue, why ignore it? My LOs flat spot has improved quite a bit with repositioning, but her ears are still quite asymmetrical and I can still see the differences in either side of her face, so that's why we're going ahead with treatment. Can you insist on being referred at least to get your LO assessed? Here in the states they will do cranial banding up until 18 months (at least at the clinic I'm going to), so it's not too late for you!

 

[mizzywizzy]

You should certainly discuss this at your baby's next doctor's appointment, it's still early enough to be corrected. The flat spot develops from sleeping on their backs all the time, my baby has one too. It's called plagiocephaly. It's nothing to freak out about, it doesn't affect them developmentally and if it's not too severe than you can correct it by taking a few measures yourself at home.

This is another reason why tummy time is so important (but that's easier said than done, my LO hates it!) there are also special nest pillows that alleviate the pressure off the skull and harnesses and such. When is your next doctor's appt?

M