Positional Plagiocephaly: What it is and how to avoid it
What are the infamous positional plagiocephaly and flat head of the infant, because they create but above all how to avoid these problems e how to realise whether one's baby's little head is growing correctly or not.
These are the topics I will talk to you about in this article and which, in more detail, I have summarised in the video course Bye bye flat head.
What are Positional Plagiocephaly and Flat Head
The term Flathead is vulgarly used to refer to all what, in medical jargon, are called Positional cranial deformities.
If at first glance this term seems difficult, in reality is very simple.
The term cranial deformities means a form that is worse than its normal condition
The term positional indicates that this change in shape is due to a incorrect position of the head, maintained for too long in the first months of an infant's life, a period when the head grows rapidly but is very mouldable.
This is why these problems are easily preventable if parents are explained the incorrect positions they create and the correct ones to apply.
Positional cranial deformities: plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and dolichocephaly
In fact, based on the type of incorrect position, the three different types of flat head are created: positional plagiocephaly, positional brachycephaly e positional dolichocephaly.
Positional Brachycephaly
Positional brachycephaly is created when the child is excessively positioned in various devices such as a bouncer, baby seat, couch and pillows; in this case the little head flattens out posteriorly and becomes deformed as a result.
Positional plagiocephaly
Plagiocephaly is created when the child always keeps its head turned to the same side and the little head flattens postero-laterally and deforms accordingly.
Positional dolichocephaly
Positional dolichocephaly is created when the child sleeps with its head always rotated 90 degrees to the side or on its side; in this case the head flattens out laterally and elongates accordingly.
Positional dolichocephaly is much more evident in children who have already been born with an elongated head as a result of prolonged delivery or the use of a suction cup.
How to avoid/prevent Positional Plagiocephaly and Flat Head
To avoid each of these three types of flat head, the child should have good cervical mobility, alternating the positioning of the little head to the right and left during naps and at night itself.
In addition, the parent should not abuse bouncers, baby carriers, couches and various pillows, which, by increasing the surface area of the baby's head and decreasing the child's ability to turn it, tend to flatten the head very quickly.
To reduce the time spent supine in various devices and, at the same time, cuddle your baby in the first months of life, I recommend using a baby carrier.
Remember to alternate sides of the baby's head when holding him/her in a sling or in your arms, so that your baby does not get used to keeping his/her head mainly on one side.
These are the main measures that I summarised in the video course Bye bye flat head whose aim is to say goodbye once and for all to this problem that has negative consequences for the well-being of the child, the parents themselves and their wallets.
How to detect positional plagiocephaly: cranial assessment
In addition to the main precautions I mentioned earlier, I also want to explain how to tell if your baby's little head is growing correctly or not.
Your baby's little head should have curvilinear contours and be symmetrical between right and left; the little head should be generally round and have a slightly longer antero-posterior diameter than latero-lateral diameter.
In short, it should be a little longer than it is wide.
In order to make a correct assessment of the head, it must be evaluated from 2 main perspectives: from the side and from above.
From the side, start observing it and make sure that its anterior profile is curved from the nose, going up through the forehead, the top of the head and continuing with a good posterior occipital curve.
Please note that it is precisely through this lateral observation and in this posterior occipital region that you may see a more or less marked onset of posterior flattening of the head.
After making an assessment from the side, we make an assessment of the head when viewed from above.
We position ourselves at our baby's head, lift her slightly off the cot and observe her.
Seen from above, the infant's little head should be almost oval, have curved contours between right and left, both front and back, and be slightly longer than wide.
This assessment is crucial to understand whether one's baby's little head is flattening because it allows us to perfectly assess the posterior occipital region and understand whether it is flattened or flattening more on one side than the other.
When you notice asymmetries in the shape of your child's little head, when you notice that it is flattening at the back and deforming in general, always point this out to your paediatrician and consult a paediatric osteopath.
How to treat positional plagiocephaly and flat head
Positional plagiocephaly and other positional head deformities can be resolved through osteopathic treatments and the right postural recommendations offered to parents.
However, it is important to solve these problems as soon as possible because in the first few months the baby's little head grows rapidly and is very mouldable; from 3 months onwards its little head slows down its growth and gradually becomes harder.
Therefore, the more severe the positional plagiocephaly is and the longer one waits to intervene with treatment and the right postural precautions, the longer it will take to resolve it.
In the video course 'How to treat positional plagiocephaly and flat head' you will find all the recommendations and information you need to resolve these issues effectively.
In addition, I recommend you take a appointment in the studio.
It was a pleasure create this informative content and I sincerely hope it will be of great help to you and your child.
See you in the next article, on my page instagram @osteopata_silvamatteo and on YouTube Dr. Silva Matteo Paediatric osteopath.
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