Preventing and Treating Positional Plagiocephaly and Torticollis in Infants

What is positional plagiocephaly?

Plagiocephaly, or flat head, is a condition where the back or side of the baby’s head appears to be flattened.

Positional plagiocephaly is caused by environmental factors, delivery factors or by the baby resting its head for long periods against flat surfaces, including car seats or cot mattresses. Because babies’ skulls are made up of several different plates that are not yet fused together, they are much more susceptible to external pressures and are therefore prone to the condition.

Plagiocephaly occurs either evenly across the back of the head, or off to one side. This is because some babies lie with their head straight while others prefer it turned.

Positional plagiocephaly can also occur in babies with shortened or tightened neck muscles on one side. This prevents baby’s head from turning freely and is known as Torticollis. Positional Plagiocephaly can also develop before a baby is even born if pressure is placed on his skull by the mother’s pelvis or from a twin.

Premature infants are more prone to developing positional plagiocephaly because their skulls are softer and more pliant, and because they tend to spend a greater amount of time on their backs.

Babies born by vacuum or forceps delivery are also at risk due to the overstretching of the neck muscles during delivery.

Whatever the cause, rest assured plagiocephaly is quite common and it’s not your fault. While it can be very unsettling for some parents to see the shape of their baby’s head has altered, for most babies it’s a condition that can be very easily treated. And certainly, the sooner treatment starts the better the success rate.

How paediatric osteopathy can help plagiocephaly and torticollis

Paediatric osteopathy may be helpful if plagiocephaly is detected before twelve weeks old. After this time there may be limited benefit unless baby has an unresolved torticollis. In this case, treatment of the neck muscles may help the child.

A paediatric osteopath will check the position of the baby’s skull alignment with the neck and will evaluate the tension in the neck muscles. The sooner the baby is diagnosed, and preventive measures started, the better the outcome for baby. Paediatric osteopathy combined with preventive measures is the treatment of choice for babies under twelve weeks old.

If you would like to book an appointment for an assessment by our Paediatric Osteopath, just give us a call on 021 4348918 or book your appointment online.

And if you would like more information about flat head and how to both prevent it and treat it, see The Happy Baby Academy, our online information resource for parents.