Plagiocephaly
Our experienced Orthotists provide high quality to care for the treatment of Plagiocephaly.
Plagiocephaly is a form of flat head syndrome. A child with Plagiocephaly will have an area on the back of the head that is flatter on one side than the other. Other noticeable features can be that:
- Sometimes the forehead or face is also uneven.
- The eyes may not look level or symmetrical
- The ears may be pushed forward or not symmetrical
- Usually the flatness is more on 1 side than the other (asymmetric)
Plagiocephaly can occur for a number of reasons. A baby’s skull is made up of several ‘plates’ of bone which when we are born are not fused together. This is to allow for the easy passage down the birth canal and for rapid growth of the brain during the first year of life. The skull is therefore very flexible and soft so its shape can easily be influenced by pressure. To prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) parents are advised to sleep their babies on their backs. While this has been a great success it has resulted in increase number of babies presenting with positional plagiocephaly.
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Other reasons for Plagiocephaly could be:
- Issues in the womb
- Other medical conditions (torticollis)
- Premature child
Please click here to understand what causes plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) in more detail.
For babies aged under 4 months repositioning techniques to offload the head should be attempted first. This will hopefully improve the head shape without the need for helmet therapy. (read more about repositioning techniques).
Understandably parents are often unsure if helmet therapy is suitable for their child. Orthotics UK provide a free assessment where we will discuss treatment options (including repositioning techniques), take scans, measurements and offer free advice. The sooner helmet therapy is undertaken the more successful it can be so if you have any doubts please do not hesitate to contact us.
If your child is deemed suitable for helmet therapy we will manufacture a helmet that is specifically designed for your child’s head. The manufacturing time is very fast and the helmet will need replacing with growth. Typically, three helmets are required during the treatment course but this will depend on the amount of initial flattening, the child's age and compliance.
To get in touch or arrange an appointment, you can call us at 0330 088 3949 or email office@orthotics.co.uk.