How to Correct the Flat Head in Babies
Large disclaimer for our story: I am non a doctor and cannot suggest you use any of the methods or products listed in this post. Information shared is not intended as medical advice. If you are concerned with your kid's head shape, consult with a physician.
**In that location is an updated post with photos of Emmy's head at 22 months at the bottom of this page!
I'll never forget the moment that the scan of my child'due south head popped upward on the screen. HOW had I not noticed how flat information technology was? And it wasn't only apartment, it was kind of kleptomaniacal.
The mom guilt started to wash over me instantly.
The pediatric therapist who had taken the images of Emmy's head asked if I had noticed her favoring one side of her head while sleeping. Um, no? Well mayhap? I couldn't be certain. I mean I had watched her sleep and then many nights, how had I not noticed something like this?
Turns out that Emmy had a tightness in her neck that acquired her to favor facing her left side while snoozing. This caused her brain to grow through the path of least resistance, resulting in a sort of burl on the right side of her head.
The photo below compares a normal babies head shape to Emmy's head.
The pictures spoke for themselves. Something had to be washed to help our sweet girl.
It was recommended that Emmy exist placed in a Md Band, aka, a infant helmet. The ring would be worn for a minimum of half-dozen weeks and a maximum of 3 months. We contacted our insurance company to come across what our out-of-pocket cost would be… a whopping $2,800! The adept news was the toll would go towards our deductible. Bad news- at that place was only a calendar month and a one-half-ish left in the year!
While nosotros were willing to do what we needed to for Emmy, we as well didn't want to be rash with our spending. Nosotros consulted with the PT and asked if waiting until the first of the twelvemonth to showtime Emmy in her band would be a bad idea. He advised us that an additional time would not cause dandy harm, but he suggested we do some exercises to assist Emmy in the mean time.
I left the physician's office that day with a list of instructions on how to aid Emmy become straightened out. I was a mama on a mission!
Tum fourth dimension
Before the suggestion to put Emmy in a helmet, we did about twenty minutes of tummy time a day. I had assumed this was plenty. When I asked her the PT who completed her scan how much we should exist doing moving frontward he responded with "25 hours a 24-hour interval is too much".
So from at that place on out, almost every minute that Emmy was not sleeping or nursing was spent on her stomach. Like alot of babies, Emmy was not a fan of but obviously quondam breadbasket fourth dimension on the floor. Her PT had advised that any position where Emmy'due south head was going against gravity would be benign to her. And so any time at home was spent rotating between a few different "breadbasket stations".
I would set her up on the boppy pillow with a books and toys close past. When that got slow I would move her to where she was laying on her tummy on top of my chest and we would make silly faces at each other. I would besides cross my legs and lay her across them while we read a volume. I would comport her around the business firm superman style.
We were constantly moving from room to room to keep things interesting. Tummy time outside on a blanket was a huge hit and she could ordinarily do that for 20 minutes straight! We as well started using this water mat which was merely fascinating for Emmers. Mirrors similar the one below are too a great way to keep a cranky stomach time babe occupied:
Emmy never spent another minute in her baby swing. We had previously been using a travel organization for her stroller just switched to one that she could sit up in if we were on the go versus laying in her automobile seat.
Nosotros fabricated an effort to make sure every minute was beneficial to her head.
Her muscles did need a pause every now and and then and that is when nosotros would motility to neck stretches. Merely besides that, it was tummy time all day, every day.
Neck Stretches
The tightness in Emmy's neck the caused her to favor i side needed to be loosened. Luckily for Emmy, this was easily done during play fourth dimension or by mom and dad holding her. The play fourth dimension stretch: I would lay Emmy on her dorsum and place her favorite toy on the right side of her torso. I would sit on her right side as well to go along her neck stretched in that direction. We would play like this for xv minutes or so before rolling over and going dorsum to tummy time. This was done multiple times a mean solar day.
The Football Hold: We were able to hold Emmy a certain style that would really become her neck muscles stretched out. Unfortunately I practise not have a photo of me doing this with Emmy, only I exercise have this wonderful example photo the physician provided me with. I will say that this one takes do. Jay and I would have turns holding Emmy while the other one looked at this motion-picture show to make sure it was being done correctly. We would do this i a few times a day, only information technology was the least performed do over the month and a half.
Crib Adjustments
I did alot of enquiry in the days after seeing Emmy's scan on products nosotros could buy to aid her. I read countless reviews and looked through a ton of before and after photos. We ended upwards purchasing a Merry Shop Head Shaping Pillow.
Now earlier anyone freaks out that I put a pillow in my child's bed, let me give you lot some facts. Emmy was 5 months old when we began using this product. She had yet to roll over and she hardly fifty-fifty moves one time she hits the mattress. If she was a busy body blazon sleeper, I would probably have decided against this production. Second, the pillow is made from a heavy retentivity foam type cloth that caused it to stay put pretty well. We took the pillow with the states on long car rides, on vacations, basically every where that Emmy would be sleeping.
An culling that Emmy's pediatrician recommended was taking a roll of foam like this ane and cutting a small area to go nether her crib sheet where she lays her caput. He suggested to put the bumpy side down and this would help correct her flatness.
Nearly 2 months later we began using the pillow, Emmy started throwing it from behind her head at some point in the night. We were worried she could outset to take some flatness once again and so we ordered a DockATot. While a DockATot is technically designed to help babe slumber better, it does have a lot of benefits to assist with plagiocephaly.
With the DockATot, the area where a baby's head rests is on a slight incline and not touching the mattress. Information technology basically creates a little hammock for their head where there is no pressure and the head tin can take and agree its proper shape.
While the DockATot is a bit pricey, information technology was still much cheaper than a helmet. We ordered the Grande version which can stay with a infant until they are iii years old. You can come across the ownership options here.
I'm pretty sure it's the reason Emmy sleeps 12-fourteen hours a night. 🙂
Equally shortly as the New year's day began, we scheduled a 6 month check up engagement for Emmy. The medico examined her head and told u.s. a helmet was non necessary. I nigh cried tears to joy! He advised u.s.a. that her head withal had a mild flat spot, but nowhere about severe plenty to need correction through the Physician Band. He advised we continue our efforts we had been making over the past month in order to make sure we stayed on the path towards a round little baby head.
Is a helmet right for your child?
If your baby has been recommended for a Doc Ring or another grade of baby helmet, know that so many other moms are in your same position! in 1994, the Back Is Best campaign was launched by the US National Constitute of Child Health and Human being Development (NICHD) at the US National Institutes of Wellness. Before this time, information technology was mutual for mothers to place babies on their stomach to sleep in society to preclude choking on spit upward. Since the campaign, at that place has been a HUGE increment in the babe helmets.
There is still alot of debate on the subject area and whether or they are completely necessary. Some argue that it is strictly cosmetic, while the doctors who prescribe the bands normally cite scary issues such every bit jaw and nasal complications every bit the child grows.
I know many people whose children have been in or are currently in a Doc Band. I also know many mothers who were told information technology was needed and went completely against the decision and their kids are notwithstanding cute as can be. That's the hard role near being a mom. The decision is yours to brand for your family.
We decided we would practise the helmet but at a time that made sense financially for our family. In the mean fourth dimension we did what the doctors suggested and the results were more than we could accept ever imagined! And then if you are here searching for an answer on what do to about fixin' your kids flat, I don't have one for y'all. Know that I, like many other female parent in this situation, spent many nights lying awake wondering what to exercise. The decision you make for your child will be the correct one.
UPDATE: due to the amount of emails I receive about this topic, I accept written an update on Emmy's caput shape! You lot can read the mail here or past clicking the photo below.
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