Flat-head syndrome
Most babies are born with some head swelling, which usually settles down over the first few weeks of life. However, increasing numbers of babies are developing a flattened side to their head in the first months, usually related to the side they habitually favour when they sleep.
Babies' skulls are made of several bones that aren't rigidly joined and are initially soft enough to be moulded. As they get older, these bones stick together and become more rigid. Imagine a ball of clay that you're pressing down on one side - you'd end up with a flattened side. This is what happens to babies with flat-head syndrome, or plagiocephaly. The pressure on the skull can happen while your baby is inside the womb (i.e. with twins) but it's more common for the flatness to start appearing a few weeks after birth.
The 'Back To Sleep' campaign, which promotes laying babies on their backs to sleep, has dramatically reduced cot deaths and should always be followed. However, this technique, along with car seats and the fact that babies aren't put on their tummies to play as much as they could be, means your little one's head may suffer uneven pressure.
Do I need to worry?
Flat-head syndrome won't affect your baby's brain growth or development. Most medical practitioners believe it's merely a cosmetic problem. If the flattening worsens, is severe or your baby's head movements seem limited, ask your GP to check that there's nothing else going on. In a few cases, tightening of the neck muscles limits neck movements to one side, and this can be treated with physiotherapy.
Occasionally, if the flattening is severe or your baby's head doesn't seem to be growing, you may be referred to a specialist to rule out craniosynostosis, a rare condition where the skull bones fuse early.
By Dr Lowri Kew
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 2
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 3
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 4
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Baby skincare
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Help your child get a good night's sleep
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nicola, 12 months
my little boy is 8 months and has a flat head - it's not that bad, but then I don't think you ever think it is when it's your own?! I'm caught in a moral dilemma of whether to fit him with a helmet or not - no 'expert' seems to give you a straight answer one way or the other as to if this IS definately an aesthetic issue or could be a serious problem in later life, seen as it's only been an issue for babies born in the last few years. I suppose we will have to weight up if it's unslightly enough to have done - because wearing a helmut sounds horrible to me! anyway...sorry not much help to you...but we HAVE started using a pillow in his cot at night (he's old enough for that to be safe) , they say make it a really thin one, and we are encouraging him to play more on his front...N
Report this commentShirley, about 1 year
My baby has this condition and its quite pronounced to the stage that she favours looking to her right and sleeping to her right at every opportunity! We took her to see the doc a couple of days ago who wasnt unduly concerned but who has referred us to the hospital just in case. In the meantime I have taken the decision to start lying my baby girl on her side to sleep on the basis that its what my mother was recommended and hey guess what I dont have it and also because if we lie her on her back as per current recommendations she obviously lies facing her right or the flat side (shes 5.5 months old btw). Anyways if Im doing wrong with this Id welcome any feedback... S
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Zoe, 8 months
My son (almost 11 months) has this problem and also finds it difficult to turn his head to one side as he has always favoured looking in one direction. I had to visit my health visitor several times with this problem then take my partner until she realised i was genuinely concerned, not just being an over protective mum. We have now been referred to hospital and my son is going to be having physio for his neck, but still no one has said if anything can or will be done about his head. Every mum and dad want the best for their child and although our children aren't ill (and i know some other parents aren't so lucky) i still feel that this condition is not taken at all seriously by GP AND HV and no advice is given about letting baby sleep on their side, i just assumed that i couldn't do it!
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