Do you know what plagiocephaly is and how to prevent it? Unfortunately, many parents are misinformed and do not know that if measures are not taken in time, plagiocephaly can have not only aesthetic but also developmental consequences for their baby. In this post, we will tell you about the most common types of plagiocephaly as well as what to do to prevent flat head syndrome in your baby.
Plagiocephaly: what is it?
The word plagiocephaly comes from Greek. Plagio = oblique and cephalus = head, and refers to the deformation of a baby's head, whether produced in the womb or in the first months of life. During this period, the baby's head is very malleable, as otherwise it would be impossible for them to be born, which is why it is easy for it to deform. In fact, 46% of babies are born with plagiocephaly.
Types of plagiocephaly: 3 main groups
- Dolichocephaly: a very elongated head, typical of premature neonates.
- Brachycephaly: a perfectly symmetrical head that is flat at the back, typical of babies who spend a lot of time lying on their backs and do not change position.
- Plagiocephaly: the most common of all, which we will discuss next.
What causes plagiocephaly?
We often wonder what causes plagiocephaly. Positional plagiocephaly is due to external pressures on the baby's skull, whether in the womb, during birth, long stays in the incubator, or due to the baby's sleeping position. It can also be due to a congenital muscular torticollis which causes the baby to always rest on the same area of their head.
What happens if my baby grows up with plagiocephaly?
Research since 2002 has shown that plagiocephaly not only has aesthetic consequences. So, what happens if I don't correct my baby's plagiocephaly? These are some of the sequelae it can leave:
- Ear infections👂🏻: if there is a cranial deformation in the back of the head, the ears may shift forward and the Eustachian tube may become lax and narrow, preventing its function of controlling pressure behind the eardrum and preventing fluid from entering the ear.
- Vision problems such as astigmatism or lazy eye👁️: if pressure is exerted on the back of the baby's head and because it grows very quickly, the eye socket can close, affecting the development of their vision.
- Jaw problems😁: if the baby's head is pressed from behind, the jaw can grow displaced, causing malocclusion due to displacement.
- Breastfeeding problems🤱🏻: plagiocephaly causes tension in the neck, affecting breastfeeding, and this is very important because while the baby breastfeeds, the head muscles move and round it out.
- Developmental problems🧠: the latest studies confirm that severe plagiocephaly can have consequences at the brain level, affecting speech, psychomotor skills...
How to prevent plagiocephaly?
The good news is that there are some things you can do to prevent plagiocephaly in your baby:
1- Monitoring it:
As the Spanish Association of Pediatrics states, the safest position for your baby to sleep is on their back, as it has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. However, if we leave the baby on their back, always in the same position and do not move them, it is very likely that their head will flatten and increase the risk of developing plagiocephaly.
Therefore, we will have to monitor our baby to ensure they change position every so often.
2- Adequate surface:
During the first two years of life, babies spend 13 months sleeping. Hence the importance of them resting on a surface suitable for their needs. If we place the baby on a hard surface that exerts pressure on one point, it will deform. However, if that pressure is distributed over different points, it will not.
Therefore, it is recommended to use an anti-plagiocephaly mattress. Specifically, the Care mattress by Ecus Kids, which is the only mattress endorsed by the Medicines Agency for the prevention of positional plagiocephaly, among other things. In addition, at Petite Marmotte you can now choose your nest with the Care mattress by Ecus Kids. These are some of its features:
How should a baby sleep to prevent flat head syndrome?
If you've been paying attention, you'll know that a baby should always sleep on their back at least until they learn to roll over both ways. But it is very important that you monitor them and ensure they don't always position their head the same way to prevent flattening of their head.
Plagiocephaly: What is it and how to prevent it?
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