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David at 10 1/2 months old

Plagiocephaly sometimes referred to as "flat-head syndrome," is a deformation of the skull, often caused by babies lying on their backs (crib, car seat, swings, bouncy seat, etc.) in the same position for long periods of time.  Because of a newborn's rapid rate of head growth and since his/her skull is still relatively soft, that constant pressure in the same spot can cause the bones of the skull and face to shift, resulting in head deformity and facial asymmetry.  Plagiocephaly can also occur prior to birth as a result of pressure inside the mother's uterus (breech babies, twins and multiples, larger babies, small maternal pelvis, small or large amount of amniotic fluid).

It can also be associated with torticollis, where one or more of the neck muscles develops a tightness which causes the head to always tilt and/or turn in the same direction.  Finally plagio can also be associated with prematurity because a premature infant's skull is softer and more pliable and frequent positioning on one side may lead to asymmetry.
 
 

There are generally 3 different types of head shapes associated with  positional plagiocephaly:
(click on the headshape to see an enlarge picture)
Plagiocephaly head shape: The most common one is where there is flattening on one side at the back of the head, which can be accompanied by bulging of the forehead on the side of the flattening, which when viewed from above will give the head a parallelogram shape instead of a normal symmetric oval shape.  It can also be accompanied with misaligned ears (the ear on the flattened side is displaced forward relative to the other side), eyes that appears displaced and mismatched in size, a jaw that looks tilted and one cheek that appears fuller then the other

Brachycephaly head shape: Brachycephaly occurs when an infant lies flat on the back of the head. The head flattens uniformly, causing a much wider and shorter head, often also the head is higher in the back.  Brachycephaly can also be associated with facial asymmetry.

Scaphocephaly head shape: Scaphocephaly is when the head is long and narrow.  Sometimes occurs when newborns are positioned predominantly on their sides, or can result when the infant is in a breech position during the pregnancy and the head becomes wedged underneath the mother's ribcage. Prematurity can also be a contributing factor in scaphocephaly.

Encourage lots of tummy time during the day while your child is awake and supervised.  Even if your child doesn't like it at first, keep trying it for short periods of time everyday.  Get down on the floor with him/her, use a boppy pillow or a rolled towel to prop him/her up.

Limit the time your child spends in car seat, swing, bouncy seat, stroller, and in the infant carrier every day.
 

Make sure to rotate the position of your baby's head while your baby is asleep on his/her back. Also alternate the sleeping position in his/her crib so that he/she has to turn his/her head on a different side to look toward the center of the room, or toward you if sleeping in the same room as you.

If your baby still favors looking and sleeping on one side, check with a health specialist (make sure your son/daughter is evaluated for torticollis).
 
 

Information provided on this site is intended for educational and informational purposes only.  Please don't hesitate to contact your physician or an appropriate health care professional.