Flat Head - Helmet Therapy

My daughter had the same thing happen to her but we didn't do the helmet therapy. Most doctors we spoke to (even UCSF) told us they don't really work. That was 10 years ago so maybe the helmets are better now? Our doctor told us to roll up a small blanket or towel and put it under one side of her head behind the ear so her head was facing the other way. Keep switching sides nightly so your child faces both directions. Hope this helps!

My son had this problem but he had Torticollis (wry neck). His neck would tend to turn to the right so the left backside of his head was flat (Plagiocephaly). We did do the helmet therapy but unfortunately had to pay put of pocket. It did help but we had major issues with location and appointments.

We were supposed to do 2 sets of treatments (4 months) but only did 1 (2 months). He had to get use to wearing it but after he didn't know it was there. No one else sees issues with his head but I can still see it. Hope this helps.

I'm not writing this to alarm you but there is also another condition called craniosynostosis. This is where the bones actually fuse together causing the flat appearance. The chances of this being your case are very slim, it is very rare, but many doctors simply see flat head, assume it's a positioning thing and are not aware of this conidtion. My daughter was seen but 3 separate peds and none caught hers. Like I said, it is very rare so please don't freak out. I am only mentioning it should the flatness not go away on it's own. At your son's age the flatness should begin to reverse itself when he can hold his head up, rolls over, and spends more time in the sitting position. Give him time, I'm sure he will be fine!

Hi! My friends son had to wear a helmet when he was a baby as well. She was really worried about keeping the helmet on him.... she thought he would try to take it off. But he is a really easy going kid as your son seems to be and they had no problems with the helmet, the baby never tried to take it off and he was completely happy. It also didn't delay his crawling or walking in any way. If your son needs a helmet try not to worry about it too much, he will be fine. It may take time for him to adjust to wearing a helmet but once he's used to it he probably won't even notice it. Good luck!

Hi C.,
Thanks for writing - I have another suggestion since no one has posted it yet...we used this product for our daughter from about 2 months old to 1 year, the AmbyBed.

http://www.ambybaby.com/benefits-features.php#flat-head

For us it was due to infant reflux issues and sleeping problems related to that - but a wonderful bonus was that she never got "flat head" and never even got that bald spot on the back that some babies get from the pressure on their heads.

It was WELL WORTH the investment, and we sold ours to another family once our baby had outgrown it. Your baby doesn't need to have some particular issue to use an Amby, either - many people like them simply because they are so comfy for baby, easy for traveling, and help them sleep very well. Our little one loved it and it didn't take too long to transition into it from her bassinet co-sleeper nor to transition out of it into a larger conventional crib once she outgrew it. I'd HIGHLY recommend it especially before going the helmet route, yikes.

If you are looking to cut costs a bit, you can check on eBay for gently-used ones, but I'd recommend exploring the Amby website thoroughly and learning more in any case - it's the best and safest baby hammock out there and if we have another baby we will have one ready and set up before babe arrives. :)

Hope this helps - good luck with your precious little one!!

Blessings,
S. M.

Hi C. -

Congratulations on your new child! No words of advice on getting your son to sleep on his side or turn his head - but good luck mama:-)

I am responding because my nephew wore a helmet for that reason for several months. He adjusted to it very quickly, but my sister-in-law did something interesting. She noticed that strangers and other children would treat him a little differently - either staring or avoiding looking, pointing, etc. She had the helmet *painted*, with a gold crown going around the head, with stars and a blue background, very Babar-style. That changed everyuone's reaction - now instead of looking at him with that slight frown of concern or mis-understanding, adults and children would smile whenever they saw him. I thought that was a very subtle, positive approach to the helmet, and if my daughter had needed one, I would have not hesitated to do the same!

Both of my children had this problem. doctor didn't want to do the helmet. Said if the face is not moving forward there not going to do it. By the tiem there 12 it will strighten out. Well you just need to postion at the end of bed. north one night then south the other night. used rolled blankets. do as much belly time as possible. So important. once he can sit up get him a way from laying on back. you need to postion differently. I bought postioner but my daughter rolled over it. they have at babies r us. I fyou can just postion baby every hour. hope this helps. lots of insurance wont pay for helmet either. My daughter has soft head she is 3 will get flat spot on back of her head if she lays on floor we have to watch her all the time. most kids it not so moblie around 6 months. In most cases.

Can you get a referral to see a pediatric physical therapist? They can give you some wonderful home exercises and positioning information that can make a dramatic difference.

what i do is always at night to sleep on back but durng the day for naps when i am able to check on them or have them in the room with me i would put them on their tummies shorter period of sleep but not so much presure on their heads all the time i am a mother of 3 girls and my neice i run a daycare and have done this with all my little ones it makes such a differnce with their heads and evey pediatrician i have talked to has said it is ok as well so good luck i hope this helps i have had one or two little ones that started to flatten out but rotating them helped my sister in law who is a er nurse said think of them like little bake patotes lol you have to rotate them to keep them round they do sell side sleepers at babbie r us but a body pillow on each side works just as well just make sure the pillow is below the arm pit that way baby has no trouble breathing

Hi C.,
My son had a-symetry to one side of his head and so did my daughter. We got a thing at Target that had a foam pillow for head and two bumpers on each side, also foam. We would allow them to fall asleep and then use the bumpers to prop them slightly on their sides, it eventually evened out and they are fine. The bumpers have velcro so you can adjust them. I believe the thing is made for putting inbetween parents who co-sleep with their babies, but it worked fine in their cribs too. It can be hard to think of helmet therapy, and you may not see alot of children in public with their helmets, but I know of families who have used them and it all works out for the best. You may want to check out Jenny Mcarthy's book called "belly laughs" or baby laughs, I can't quite remember, but it's the second book she wrote, dealing with the first year after her son was born, he also used helmet therapy and I gave the book to a girlfriend whose son used helmet therepy and she read it in a day and said it made her laugh and cry but mostly made her feel better. Might try it. Good luck, hopefully it'll work itself out, but if not, your not alone. Take care, C.

I put my kids on their tummies during the day time naps. I don't remember what they are called, but I got a sort of divider where the baby sleeps in the middle and it has a back and front soft cushion supporter so the baby can sleep on his/her side. Was not expensive. I think I got it at Target. It has been a while, but I'm sure they are still out there.

I cared for twins, the boy was born with his head flat in the back abit to the side. Doctors encouraged waiting so the parents did but then when he did get his helmet, it was summer time. I would say get it when the doctors think is the right time but not wait a long time. He did very well with it. And most important it worked great and he has the most beautiful head! He played and did everything well. Since then I have seen kids in helmets in pubic. Since the "back to sleep" more babies are getting flat heads in the back. When babies are awake it is inportant to give them lots of tummy time but then they learn to roll over and are on their backs. The time goes by fast and it works.
F.

It might help if you put him on his stmache while he is awake and you can watch him this also help them gain strengh . good luck S.

Hi C., My son had a helmet and I LOVED it! I know that sounds weird but it was great to help protect him from all of his falls! He adjusted very quickly to it and I sware he didn't even know it was on him. Their little heads sweat a lot in there and it smells. I found that scrubbing it with a tooth brush with baking soda was the only thing to help the smell. The only other negative is if you are head butted...it hurts you a lot more! You can still cuddle and play with their hair through the hole on top. Make sure he is moving his head in all directions (my son had torticollis which was contributing to his flat head). Your son is probably still young enough that you may be able to avoid it by keeping him off of it during waking hours (propped up/bumbo seat/lots of tummy time even though he probably hates it). they wiggle out of everything when sleeping. I was told that by kindergarden, Most heads round out on their own. So, the helmet is really just acting as an accelerator and insurance that he won't be in that small percent that don't self correct.
Enjoy your little one and know that the helmet isn't a big deal at all.
Take care,
J.
PS how did you get such a great sleeper???