Positional Plagiocephaly of the Newborn: Causes and Remedies for Treating it
Index
- Introduction to positional plagiocephaly of the newborn child
- POSITIONAL PLAGIOCEPHALIA OF THE BABY: WHAT IT IS
- How to detect and recognise positional plagiocephaly
- right or left positional plagiocephaly?
- how many infants develop positional plagiocephaly
- why POSITIONAL PLAGIOCEPHALIA occurs: causes
- How to treat positional plagiocephaly: cures and remedies
- Up to what age can positional plagiocephaly be resolvedp
- Positional plagiocephaly does NOT resolve itself with time
- Paediatric Osteopathy and Positional Plagiocephaly
- How to prevent and avoid positional plagiocephaly
- The negative consequences of infant positional plagiocephaly
- Does the pillow for plagiocephaly serve or work?
- Orthopaedic helmet for positional plagiocephaly
- TESTIMONIES OF Parents who have treated positional plagiocephaly
1. Introduction to positional plagiocephaly of the newborn child
Positional plagiocephaly is a cranial deformation typical position of the newborn characterised by a flattening of the postero-lateral part of the head caused by a excess of time spent with the rotated head always on the same side.
Le causes of positional plagiocephaly are to be found in incorrect positions put into practice by the parents or the child itself (e.g: myogenic torticollis).
When a child develops positional plagiocephaly, initially the head is flattens occipital postero-laterallyAs it gets worse, the head also deforms laterally and on the face (eyes, nose, cheekbones, etc.).
From the moment the infant's head becomes getting tougher and growing less and less, it is essential to treat as soon as possible positional plagiocephaly to avoid negative consequences on the child.
In the guise of paediatric osteopath I treat thousands of newborns every year to prevent or treat positional plagiocephaly; in this article I explain everything you need to know to do the best.
On this page I explain what it is, why it is created, how to prevent and how to treat positional plagiocephaly of the newborn.
If you wish make an appointment, you can contact me here.
If you live far from Monza, I have created two video courses parents:
2. What is positional plagiocephaly of the newborn child
The Word plagiocephaly is derived from the union of two terms of Greek origin: 'plagios" (πλάγιος'), meaning 'oblique', and "chefale"(κεφαλή), meaning 'head'.
Thus, the literal meaning of plagiocephaly is "oblique head".
Together with the positional brachycephaly, plagiocephaly represents one of the two best-known types of flat head in the newborn o flat-head syndrome.
Unfortunately, the plagiocephaly is a very common cranial abnormality in infants, characterised by a unilateral flattening of the occipito-parietal region of the cranial vault.
If the plagiocephaly worsens, the side of the head, ears and face of the child are also deformed.
This is one of the reasons why it is essential to treat it as soon as possible.
3. How to detect and recognise Positional Plagiocephaly
When positional plagiocephaly is of mild degreeThe flattening of the child's head is only visible posteriorly in the occipital region.
If the plagiocephaly worsens, gradually the whole head alters its shape, taking on the appearance of a parallelepiped.
In fact, seen from above, the head of a child with plagiocephaly is in the shape of a parallelogram (rhomboid shape); it is due to crushing in the postero-lateral occipital region and the resulting general cranial deformation.
It is no coincidence, in fact, that the term plagiocephaly derives from the union of two terms of Greek origin: 'plagios" (πλάγιος), meaning "oblique", e "chefale"(κεφαλή), meaning "head“.
If the child develops a moderate or severe plagiocephaly, the head deforms globally and, looking at it from above, one can see that:
the rear profile of the head (occipital region) is not round but is flattened on the side of the plagiocephaly
the sides of the head are no longer symmetrical but follow the oblique lines of the parallelepiped
one ear (the one on the side of the plagiocephaly) will be more advanced than the other
one eye may be smaller and more closed than the other
the forehead, in a superior view, will be more advanced on one side (that of plagiocephaly) than the other
the cranial vault tilts on the side of the plagiocephaly and one can see, in a frontal view, how one side of the forehead (that of the plagiocephaly) is higher than the other.
4. Right or left plagiocephaly?
In the previous paragraphs, we have understood what plagiocephaly looks like visually.
This short chapter aims to clarify how to define right plagiocephaly or left plagiocephaly.
The left plagiocephaly (see photo above) consists of a flattening of the posterior occipito-parietal region on the left and an advancement of the ipsilateral (left) ear and forehead.
It is created because the child almost always keeps its head turned to the left.
Right plagiocephaly consists of the exact opposite.
5. How many children develop positional plagiocephaly?
Positional plagiocephaly, i.e. the plagiocephaly of the newborn child that is created in the first few months of life after birth, is the best-known positional cranial deformity and, together with the positional brachycephalyis the most common cranial deformity in the neonatal setting.
L'American Academy of Pediatrics estimate that up to 48% of children within the age of one year may incur some kind of positional cranial deformation (plagiocephaly, brachycephaly or positional dolichocephaly).
Almost 1 in 2 infants is at risk of developing a positional head deformity.
With regard to the incidence of plagiocephaly alone, this is estimated to be present in 15-16% of children at the age of 6 weeks e up to 20% of children at 4 months of age.
It is, in fact, the first 3-4 months, the period when the incidence of plagiocephaly reaches its peak due to the mouldability and rapid cranial growth.
6. Why does plagiocephaly occur? Causes of Plagiocephaly
Positional plagiocephaly is created because the child is positioned supine during the day and night, position the head more to one side than the other.
La continuous pressure exerted by the contact surfaces with the rear region of the child's head, causes the resulting flattening in the posterior occipitotemporal region.
In the long run, the infant's skull not only flattens postero-laterally, but also deforms, assuming the classic parallelepiped shape of plagiocephaly.
I reasons whereby a child keeps its head turned to one side all the time (or most of the time) and consequently develops positional plagiocephaly, are essentially two:
- Incorrect postural attitudes unknowingly put into practice by parentse.g. prolonged use of the bouncer, incorrect position of the baby in the arms, incorrect position during breastfeeding, position of the baby in the cot, position of the baby in the carrycot or the baby seat, etc.
2. AIncorrect postural attitudes practised by the child due to muscle contractures: for example, in the presence of a myogenic torticollis of the newborn child.
7. How to Treat Positional Plagiocephaly: Remedies
For Care Positional Plagiocephaly of the newborn child must:
- knowing why it was created and which incorrect postures (to be avoided) caused it
- assess the presence of an infant's myogenic torticollis and, if necessary, resolve it
- Knowing all the correct postural recommendations to decrease the time a newborn spends supine
- know all the recommendations for accustoming the infant to rotating the head correctly even on the side opposite the positional plagiocephaly
- How to get your child used to turning his or her head correctly
- How to correctly utilise the position in arms and in a sling
- Tummy time, supine position and sitting position: how to use them to solve plagiocephaly
- Recommendations for Plagiocephaly during Breastfeeding, Bottle Feeding and Cradle Night Sleeping
- The actual time it takes to resolve positional plagiocephaly
- How to resolve Positional Plagiocephaly when it is associated with Positional Brachycephaly
8. Up to what age can positional plagiocephaly be resolved
To understand the answer to the question "up to what age is positional plagiocephaly of the newborn corrected?" I must explain how much it grows the little head and how mouldable it is in the first months of life.
I anticipate that positional plagiocephaly can be treated with optimal and rapid results up to 6 months of ageafter which improvements become slower and slower and will take longer and longer.
Now I will explain why.
The baby's head originates approximately 35 cm in circumference in the male and 34 cm in circumference in the female.
In first 3 months the circumference increases by 6 cm.
From 3 to 6 months the head grows by 3 cm of circumference.
From 6 to 12 months the head grows by only 3 cm of circumference.
The baby's head growing rapidly in the first months of life but then slows downas if that were not enough, the head is extremely mouldable in the first months of life but it gets harder and harder.
This means that the longer you waitthe longer the resolution time and the worse the improvements will be.
Another important factor to be known to understand up to what age can positional plagiocephaly and flat head be resolved is the Modelling cranial (how soft and mouldable the head is).
The baby's little head is extremely mouldable in the first month of life and also in the second.
Gradually, in the third and fourth month always becomes less mouldablee.
In fifth and sixth months the little head is well not very mouldable.
From the sixth month of life onwards, the head grows little and less mouldable and ossified.
In light of what has been said so far, we understand that the sooner the correct therapies are started to resolve positional plagiocephaly and flat head, the better.
The results will be better and faster.
In the video course ‘'Treatment of plagiocephaly and flat head' I summarised all the cautions that I offer to the parents of my young patients to best resolve them.
I will now answer the question 'up to what age can plagiocephaly and flat head be treated.
Plagiocephaly and the infant's flat head can be treated effectively and quickly at an age of between 0 and 3 months of age.
Plagiocephaly and the flat head can be treated well with longer treatment times, in aage between 3 and 6 months old.
Plagiocephaly and flat head can be cured with long lead times at an age of between 6 and 12 months of the child's life.
After 12 months of life, the timeframe for improvement becomes exponentially longer and, although one can still work on it, one has to realise how much the head can still improve over the following years.
My advice is to do not wait one more day e activate now with the best possible care for these issues.
9. Positional plagiocephaly does NOT resolve itself with time
Flat head (a synonym vulgarly used to replace the term positional cranial deformities) is one of the most common problems of the newborn (until 48 % of children) and you create in the first 2-4 months of lifeperiod when the head is most mouldable and grows quickly.
Unfortunately, given the profound misinformation this issue suffers from, the overwhelming majority of parents do not know of its existence untiltoo late now, their child has already developed it.
To make matters worse, even after the child has developed it, parents are told to "not to worry, because the flat head will resolve itself in time..."
I decided to record an ad hoc video to explain why this sentence is so false how much dangerous for your child.
10. Paediatric osteopathy and positional plagiocephaly
As mentioned above, osteopathic treatments aim to resolving muscle contractures that affect the positioning of the infant's neck and head (e.g: myogenic torticollis).
Along with osteopathic treatments, I explain in detail to parents the fundamental postural recommendations to treat positional plagiocephaly in the best possible way and in the shortest possible time.
Only in this way can plagiocephaly be effectively treated before it is too late.
11. How to prevent and avoid positional plagiocephaly
Thanks to my experience in solving thousands of cases of plagiocephaly, I learnt how to prevent it easily thanks to the correct information and recommendations offered to parents.
I have decided to share with you all the advice I offer to the parents of my young patients to avoid positional plagiocephaly at video course Bye bye flathead.
12. The negative consequences of infant positional plagiocephaly
Positional plagiocephaly, flattening of the skull and deformation of the infant's face can have several negative consequences, affecting various aspects, psychological and health, of both parents and child
- Consequences for parental well-being: Incurring cranial deformities for a parent means above all coping with difficulties and possible guilt for allowing their child's head to be flattened.
Consequences for the health of the newborn: an altered shape of the skull, face and the vital structures it contains (eyes, mouth, jaw, etc.) has given rise to numerous concerns about visual development, mandibular asymmetries, scoliosis, postural alterations and otitis media.
Furthermore, an unresolved positional plagiocephaly involves an objectively noticeable aesthetic factor.
13. Does the pillow for plagiocephaly work?
The pillow for plagiocephaly, being concave e envelopingIt restricts the movement of the child's neck and increases the support surface of the head, reasons why the pillow increases the risk of flatten the infant's head (as well as increasing the risk of choking and Syndrome of cot death of the newborn).
In addition, using the pillow for positional plagiocephaly without practising postural shrewdness will cause the head to continue to worsen.
Think about it: if your child keeps his head turned to the same side all the time due to a stiff neck or incorrect postural habits practised during the day, the plagiocephaly pillow does not solve them, quite the contrary!
In addition, the plagiocephaly cushion raises its neck of the infant, flexing it; this worsens the position of the spine.
This is why the plagiocephaly cushion does not work and serves neither to prevent nor to cure positional plagiocephaly of the newborn.
14. The helmet for positional plagiocephaly
If one intervenes with the correct postural recommendations and possible osteopathic treatments in the first 5-6 months, in most cases the plagiocephaly helmet is not at all necessaryIndeed.
The plagiocephaly helmet has a very high cost (approximately 1000-2000 euro) and creates a heavy footprint to the newborn child.
I don't like the plagiocephaly helmet, maintains continuous and unnatural pressure on the infant's head to try to reshape it.
In addition, is useless wear a plagiocephaly helmet if this problem has arisen due to a myogenic torticollis.
In these cases, it is essential to treat the neck muscles and restore correct joint mobility (also to avoid incorrect postural development); while torticollis is resolved with osteopathic treatments, plagiocephaly is cured with all the postural recommendations offered to parents.
If your baby has developed positional plagiocephaly, don't wait any longer.
The longer you wait, the longer it takes to solve it and the worse the results will be.
15. Testimonies from parents who treated positional plagiocephaly
Listen to the testimony parents who came to me to treat their child's positional plagiocephaly and who have successfully solved it.
Read more about 260 Google reviews checked at 5 stars on my profile. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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