I have a 6 month old little girl who has always had a crazy flat head since she was born. It has gotten a lot better since she has been bigger and not always being on her head. My pediatrician is VERY conservative (in Paoli) and she said she really only ever goes the helmet route if it is a severe case. She said my daughter should be alright.
Anyway, I saw my cousin on Easter and her son had the same issue in the past. She said right away she could tell Brie's skull was misshapen, similar to her son's. I didn't think much about it until I saw my cousin because she was really against the helmet and did extensive research before going through with it. I now am thinking that if I don't get a 2nd opinion from a Dr., I might regret never getting her fixed. It is not severe, but my daughter's cheeks are uneven and the back of her head is still a little flat. She was bald on one side of her head, but the hair is growing in OK. Not many people can tell, but I can tell.
Does anyone have any experience with this type of issue or have any advice? I'd appreciate it.
Thank you in advance to anyone who replies! :)
Hi A.,
Have you tried a chiropractor? They do not just focus on the spine, the skull is an essential part of chiropractic and an infant can be seen right after birth! It maybe something to try before the helmet route or they usually have great advice and resources to help you make an informed decision.
-B. H.
I recoomend getting a second opinion. I have a wonderful doctor maybe you could see...Dr. Linton Whitaker at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). My daughter always looked "flat" to me on one side of her forehead and eyebrow area. She was actually diagnosed with craniosynostosis which basically means that 2 of her head bones fused before birth and that portion of her head could not continue to grow properly and her eyebrow bone was not really there right. I am sure mine is a much more extreme case than yours as my daughter actually had to have surgery to reshape those bones and build up her eyebrow bone. But everyone told me she looked ok and that it was just in my head that I thought she looked funny. My daughter is perfectly fine now but if I hadn't addressed the situation she would definately have looked deformed. You really need to have your daughter checked again especially since her face itself looks off! Don't wait..the older they get the harder it will be for you and her to get it fixed. Six months is the ideal time for intervention. If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask.
S.
SAHM of 2 kids (3 & 6) in Lansdale, PA
Hi A. --
My daughter, who is now three and a half, had a really bad flat head on the right side and ended up wearing the Cranial Technologies helmet for four months. I think that it was one of the best decisions that we ever made. Our ped (we were in NJ at the time) sent us to a plastic surgeon first for her to be evaluated, and then we went to Cranial Technologies where she was fitted for the band. I think that it upset me much more than it did her. We decorated the band every month with a different theme and her head is now almost perfect.
I would at least get the evaluation for some peace of mind.
Best of luck to you and your daughter.
H.
A. -
Your DR. is just wrong. If you can see that she is "bossing" on one side of her face, she needs to be in the helmet, the sooner the better. My daughter has worn a helmet since she was a little over 4 mos., is now 61/2 mos. & is beginning to wear it only at naps & overnight, when she is likely to be on her head. She has made tremendous progress, and I don't regret any of it. Her case was mild, but my Ped. referred us to an orthotist right away at 4 months. We were at first taken back - we thought it would just even out on its own... didn't see much of a problem... but we found out that the longer you wait, the longer the child will have to wear the helmet. A babies skull is more moldable the younger that they are. Your child will adjust really quickly to the helmet, and the progress even in the first week will astound you. If you need a second opinion, I suggest you see one of the Dr's at Pediatric Associates of the Main Line. We see Dr. Rabinowitz. They have an office in Paoli at the hospital.
Just don't wait. Your delay will only cause your child to have to wear the helmet for a longer period of time. You can research "bands" or helmets by googling "starband" or "doc band" or find out more about the condition by googling "plagiocephaly". Good Luck!
