Causes and Treatment of Plagiocephaly

A very small percentage of babies suffering from Plagiocephaly are born with it. Babies can be born with Plagiocephaly due to:-

lack of amniotic fluid in the womb
difficult birth
prolonged time in the birth canal
external force to the head (forceps delivery)
position of the baby in utero (breech)

Most babies who suffer from Plagiocephaly however are not born with the condition. Babies who develop Positional Plagiocephaly usually develop it at around 4-8 weeks of age, due to a number of factors:-

They may suffer from Torticollis (tightening of the neck muscles). Babies who suffer from torticollis find it almost impossible to move their heads in both directions, therefore will almost always lie facing to the left or right (depending on which side of the neck is affected).
Prolonged pressure from hard surfaces (eg: car seats, hard floor, cot mattress etc). This can mould a babies head into an abnormal shape.

There is a group of babies who have a higher 'risk' of developing Plagiocephaly:-

Boys - Plagiocephaly is 3 times more common in boys
Premature babies (their bones are softer and may have spent prolonged time on their backs in special care unit)
Low birth weight
Multiple births (less room in the womb for movement)

The main signs of Plagiocephaly are :-

Flattening to the side or straight across the back of baby's head
Misalignment of ears - one ear may be further forward than the other
bulging forehead at the same side as the flattening
One eye may appear larger than the other or slightly higher than the other (this is best viewed by holding your baby up infront of a mirror)

Future problems your child may have should the Plagiocephaly remain untreated are problems with getting glasses as ears are out of alignment. Problems with getting bicycle/ski helmet to fit unusual headshape. Potential of bullying in school due to abnormal headshape
While there is no medical evidence of Plagiocephaly causing any specific side effects in later life, specialist Dr Blecher has observed that severe cases can affect the alignment of the jaw and teeth.

Craniosyntosis which is another type of Plagiocephaly which cannot be treated in any other way than by surgery. Craniosyntosis is caused by the bones in a baby's head fusing too quickly. This is a condition which must be treated urgently to ensure that there is enough room for the brain to grow. You should ALWAYS have your baby checked for Craniosyntosis by a Doctor before beginning any treatment plan.

If your baby is young (prior to 5 months) then the best option for treating Plagiocephaly is Repositioning. Please see our Prevention page for more advice on repositioning.

Should repositioning not be successful then there is the option of cranial remoulding "HELMET" treatment. At the moment this is not often available on the NHS so please contact your local health authority for details. There are however, 3 private helmet suppliers in the U.K. Please look at our helmet suppliers page for more details.

Home causes/treatment before & after helmet suppliers Plagiocephaly F.A.Q's further info Prevention Forum Contact Us Gallery

Baby of the Month

Plagio poll

Did your child receive physiotherapy for torticollis

Version 2.03

Website Designed by Barry Mitchell with the assistance of Mandy Muir